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Facebook App Center to offer 'Send to Mobile' installs for iOS and Android

Facebook App Center to offer 'Send to Mobile' installs for iOS and Android

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Facebook has added easy installation options to its upcoming App Center listing of popular HTML5 and smartphone apps.

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Facebook send to mobile
Facebook send to mobile

As Facebook counts down the days to the opening of its new App Center, it is spotlighting another piece of functionality that it intends to include: easy installs. The App Center, if you don't recall, will be a centralized place where Facebook will allow users to browse (and install) apps that utilize Facebook connect - including HTML5, iOS, and Android apps. Today the company announced that iOS and Android users can expect a streamlined app install and launch experience on App Center.

When browsing from a phone, you'll see options to directly launch an app if you have it installed, or a link to install it if you don't. The latter will open up the App Store on iOS or Google Play on Android. A slightly more interesting variation comes from the desktop browsing experience. Facebook will include a "Send to Mobile" button which will trigger a Facebook notification with a link to the appropriate app store or HTML5 url. It's functionality that's similar to what both Google and Apple offer, but handled through Facebook's notification systems.

The features do remove some of the friction that would otherwise have existed in using Facebook's App Center, but they doesn't entirely address the main issue: do users need a centralized place to access apps with Facebook Connect. It certainly seems like it will be a boon for HTML5 apps, be they mobile or desktop, but whether users are clamoring for a socially-powered replacement for the standard "Top 25 apps" available on standard app stores remains to be seen.