As mentioned in last week’s Mobile with the Guru episode, I’m rather frustrated with the lack of Facebook application for S60-powered smartphones. The iPhone is on v2.0 of its dedicated application, and v1.5 of the BlackBerry Facebook application is coming soon, as well. Even Windows Mobile gets the love, from both a 3rd party developer and soon, Microsoft. However, S60 is completely left in the cold from all three fronts – Nokia, Facebook, and even 3rd party developers. The best thing we’ve gotten thus far is a visual bookmark that takes us to the same old m.facebook.com website that my mom visits on her S40-powered featurephone from Nokia. It’s pathetic.
So then, what should a Facebook application for S60 look like? Well, surprisingly, these screenshots of the Windows Mobile 6.5 version and the new BlackBerry client look incredibly nice. The input mechanisms are the same, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t get a similar UI for S60. There are a few features that I would like to have, though:
1. Sync profile information. We told you about Fonebook the other day, and I’d basically want to see that functionality integrated into the Facebook for S60 application. Look through my on-phone contacts, compare those to my Facebook friends, and sync the ones that match – most important is the profile picture and contact information (phone number, email address, etc).
2. Facebook chat. Sure, there are applications like Palringo that incorporate this, but I wouldn’t mind having it integrated into my phonebook (or even as a tab, like the handful of other contacts plugins). This would make it easier to keep in touch with my friends on the go.
3. Photo uploads. Facebook desperately needs to be integrated into Nokia’s Share Online aplication. We also need the ability to tag our friends, and more importantly, create new albums within our Facebook albums. Total integration.
4. The usual status updates and whatnot. This would be ideal if I could have a homescreen plugin from which I could update my status, as well as see if I have any new messages/friend requests/events/etc. Something usable, and yet still glanceable.
That’s really all I can think of. It shouldn’t be too difficult to build, I don’t think, really. It doesn’t seem like either Nokia or Facebook are interested. There’s absolutely no reason that the fantastic developers at Epocware, SBSH, or SPB Software couldn’t put this together. Sure, it’s freeware, but it would easily set them apart as *the* S60 developer, and work to further build brand recognition, I would think.
What do you think? If you could design a Facebook for S60 application, what features would you want included?
