[BBHermes]

In all of the fuss surrounding the Facebook anti-update on BB10 and BBOS there is something not being emphasized and questioned enough:

BlackBerry Facebook app will cease to work on BlackBerry 10 and BBOS from March 31st

=======
BlackBerry point out that the reason why Android and iOS continue to have a native application, but not BlackBerry is down to the fact the native Facebook application on other platforms use a private API not available for general use, and has not been made available to BlackBerry.
=======

The big question is, Why?

Why give the api to Apple and Google (and, I presume, Windows), but not BB?

Why should FB care? They are not the ones developing the app, unlike the case with WhatsApp.

Is there some feature in that api that caused BlackBerry to refuse to license it?

I'm suspicious of both FB and their subsidiary WhatsApp for a number of reasons. This does not negate Blackberry's incompetence, but I suspect there's more to this story than meets the eye.

And why isn't Crackberry covering this story?

Posted via CB10

[Ment]

Could be BB's resource commitment to their FB app. Perhaps BB wasn't going to update the FB app with the 'Reactions' capability and other things, so FB didn't feel like renewing the license to the private API. If the BB FB app is not current with features/bug fixes then some people will blame FB and not BB.

[Razuberi]

I do not know if it's the case for iOS or Windows Phone, but the android app for facebook is not made by Google, it's made by facebook themselves. Therefore, they do not have to share this private api to anyone for their app. I guess on windows phone and iOS it is the same.
The apps on BB10 and old BBOS versions were not developed by facebook and since they do not want to share their api with others, BlackBerry would be unable to implement it in its app even if they wanted to do.

Via SQC100-1/10.3.2.2836

[Bogdan Tudor Dan]

Good question

Posted via CB10

[paulwallace1234]

The Android, IOS and Windows Apps where created by Facebook.

As for CrackBerry, they have lives too.

Posted via CB10

[Grabber5.0]

The Android, IOS and Windows Apps where created by Facebook.

As for CrackBerry, they have lives too.

Posted via CB10

Truth

[JulesDB]

Facebook doesnt want to develop it's own app for BlackBerry10.
Whatsapp, owned by Facebook, does the same.

That's a plot.

Posted via CB10

[anon(2313227)]

They are not giving API to iOS and Android. They made the app. They are just not opening the API to everyone. How soon we forgot the Twitter API a while back. They are just reigning in their API/Support.

[pgg101]

It would have bee nice is Facebook was available on the Amazon store.

RedBerry Passport /10.3.2.2876 / Telus

[early2bed]

"Private API" is referring to internal API's that are shared by the Facebook web team, the Facebook iOS, and the Facebook Android team. It's like saying that whatever your family is having for dinner tonight is a "private dinner" since nobody else is going to be invited to attend. It's really just your dinner - there's no conspiracy to exclude everyone else in your neighborhood.

Give how popular smartphones are, these days, I'll be the mobile teams are just as important as the web team.

[Ronindan]

With BB10 world wide market share being so low and still getting lower -Facebook just does not see the need to support bb10 at all. I surprised that people still can't see that BB10 low market share is going to drive off support from tech companies and developers.

[Invictus0]

I do not know if it's the case for iOS or Windows Phone, but the android app for facebook is not made by Google, it's made by facebook themselves. Therefore, they do not have to share this private api to anyone for their app. I guess on windows phone and iOS it is the same.
The apps on BB10 and old BBOS versions were not developed by facebook and since they do not want to share their api with others, BlackBerry would be unable to implement it in its app even if they wanted to do.

Via SQC100-1/10.3.2.2836

The Android, IOS and Windows Apps where created by Facebook.

The Facebook app on Windows Phone is developed by Microsoft. I think Facebook is going to launch their own app soon though.

[BBHermes]

Does anyone know how Face10 either

1 Got the private api: or

2 Developed their app without the aforementioned api?

Again, not taking the official story at face value. Blaze says this is all FB's fault. Maybe but I'm not sure...

Posted via CB10

[app_Developer]

Does anyone know how Face10 either

1 Got the private api: or

2 Developed their app without the aforementioned api?

Again, not taking the official story at face value. Blaze says this is all FB's fault. Maybe but I'm not sure...

There are some 3rd party developers who discover and use private APIs in violation of the service owners' rights. It's one thing for a small developer in a garage to do this, it's quite something else for an established public company to do this. BlackBerry cannot use Facebook's private APIs without FB giving some specific license to do so.

[BBHermes]

BlackBerry cannot use Facebook's private APIs without FB giving some specific license to do so.

That is absolutely correct and not in question.

At the same time, it's not clear to me that an FB app -- with Hub integration etc. -- cannot be built based on the browser version. If it works in the browser, why not build something based on it?


Posted via CB10

[app_Developer]

That is absolutely correct and not in question.

At the same time, it's not clear to me that an FB app -- with Hub integration etc. -- cannot be built based on the browser version. If it works in the browser, why not build something based on it?

Because they would have to scrape the site (messy and fragile work). Plus, without even looking at FB's T&C's, I would bet that would be in violation.

[Derek Stacey]

Chrome does it on Android, actually I use that method on my Priv...it's better than the Android app IMO. Still get notifications, but through Chrome.

Posted via CB10

[anon(9821186)]

In all of the fuss surrounding the Facebook anti-update on BB10 and BBOS there is something not being emphasized and questioned enough:

BlackBerry Facebook app will cease to work on BlackBerry 10 and BBOS from March 31st

=======
BlackBerry point out that the reason why Android and iOS continue to have a native application, but not BlackBerry is down to the fact the native Facebook application on other platforms use a private API not available for general use, and has not been made available to BlackBerry.
=======

The big question is, Why?

Why give the api to Apple and Google (and, I presume, Windows), but not BB?

Why should FB care? They are not the ones developing the app, unlike the case with WhatsApp.

Is there some feature in that api that caused BlackBerry to refuse to license it?

I'm suspicious of both FB and their subsidiary WhatsApp for a number of reasons. This does not negate Blackberry's incompetence, but I suspect there's more to this story than meets the eye.

And why isn't Crackberry covering this story?

Posted via CB10

I would say, just read the full list of permissions for the fb app on android, my employer blocked from phones and work computers, even blocks the like button on Web pages, and it's not because of time spent on it because I can go to sites like chaturbate.com with no problem lulz.

Posted via CB10

[ray689]

Chrome does it on Android, actually I use that method on my Priv...it's better than the Android app IMO. Still get notifications, but through Chrome.

Posted via CB10

How? Just curious

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[paulwallace1234]

Chrome does it on Android, actually I use that method on my Priv...it's better than the Android app IMO. Still get notifications, but through Chrome.

Posted via CB10

The Facebook touch website has live notifications, technically any browser should be able to get the basics

Posted via CB10

[RezzaBuh]

The Facebook touch website has live notifications, technically any browser should be able to get the basics
Posted via CB10

And that means you need developers working on browser... I can't imagine BB10 browser will ever get any updates or new features.

[pgg101]

At least the Face10 Dev is getting more business. Looks like it's BlackBerry's answer to a FB app.


Classic /10.3.2.2639 / Telus

[Ment]

How? Just curious

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

Chrome supports push notifications in the browser since last year. Since BB10 is losing more app support and using mobile sites as replacements as time goes on, I would hope they put some resources into the browser to support this function.

[paulwallace1234]

Chrome supports push notifications in the browser since last year. Since BB10 is losing more app support and using mobile sites as replacements as time goes on, I would hope they put some resources into the browser to support this function.

It already does.





Posted via CB10

[Ment]

It already does.

Is that the same as https://www.w3.org/TR/push-api/ because from my limited understanding that is what Chrome is using.