Facebook for iOS update adds new Recommendation system, tickets to movies & more

Facebook recently announced that a new update for its social networking application is now rolling out to iOS devices. Along with the update’s announcement, Facebook also released a detailed changelog that includes all the new features and improvements added to the app.

The latest Facebook update is meant to offer users additional ways to take action faster once they have found something they wish to purchase or a place they want to go.

For example, when you’re ordering food, you will now be able to do that directly from restaurants Facebook Pages. There’s a new “Start Order” tab on any restaurant’s Facebook Page that uses Delivery.com or Slice, so make sure you tap on it to get your food ordered faster.

Also, the update adds a new option that allows users to get tickets to movies and events much easier. They can be bought directly from dedicated Facebook Pages via Fandango. The new feature has been implemented in partnership with Ticketmaster and Eventbrite, and users will now be able to get tickets to other events, free or pair, directly from the event page on Facebook.

Another new feature included in the new update is the option to request an appointment at a local business, such as spas and salons. You will now be able to request a time via the business’ Facebook Page and view the entire range of services and offerings. You will receive your appointment confirmation via Messenger.

There’s also a new “Get Quote” feature, which allows you to request a quote from a business. This only works with some local business Pages thought.

The new version of Facebook for iOS comes with a new Recommendation system. Whenever you write a Facebook post looking for advice on local places or services, you will be able to turn on the Recommendations option for that particular post. Once you turn it on, friends can comment on your post with suggestions, which will then be able to see on the map.

According to Facebook, these new features will be initially rolled out in the United States in the next couple of days. Facebook also states that it will announce new features in the coming months.

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WhatsApp Video Calling is coming soon!

Facebook has been promising to add video calling to WhatsApp for over a year now and it looks like they could be on the cusp of releasing the feature in the coming days and weeks, as evidenced by a pair of leaked screenshots obtained by German Apple blog Macerkopf.de.

Moreover, the app will gain tabs for moving between multiple conversations with ease. Like Apple’s FaceTime, Skype, Messenger, Viber and many other messaging platforms, WhatsApp should permit users to send and receive video calls via Wi-Fi or cellular.

The video feed from the caller will be shown full screen, with your own video overlaid on top of it in a small preview window that you’ll be able to move around and reposition on the screen as you like.

Standard controls are available, including switching between the front and rear camera and muting the microphone. As for the aforementioned tabbed chat interface, this feature will put multiple chat tabs at your fingerprint.

This will let you quickly switch between individual conversations without needing to go back to WhatsApp’s chat list. Last but not least, developers are said to be redesigning the app to show the green branding more prominently.

The screenshots are taken from WhatsApp’s internal build (version 2.12.16.2) which has yet to be released. For reference, the most recent release of WhatsApp for iPhone carries a version number of 2.12.12.

If the internal build number is anything to go by, we can expect video chatting to go live in WhatsApp with the app’s next update in the App Store.

Facebook launched both video calling on Messenger and audio calling (VoIP) on WhatsApp in April of 2015. Rival Viber has had video calling since September of 2014.

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Leaked screenshots of Voice calling in WhatsApp’s upcoming iPhone update!

As you know, the world’s most popular mobile messaging software, WhatsApp, is being purchased by the social networking giant Facebook for a staggering $16 billion. WhatsApp previously promised to introduce VoIP calling in the second quarter of this year, a move poised to turn the tables on competition like Viber, now owned by Rakuten.

While Viber last December unveiled a new Skype-like Viber Out feature for making low-cost outgoing calls to international mobile and landline numbers, a set of screenshots leaked on Friday purportedly depicting what WhatsApp’s VoIP calling will look like in its iPhone application, a free download from the App Store…

According to Italian Apple blog iPhoneItalia (Google translate), WhatsApp’s VoIP calling interface is heavily reminiscent of the new-look Phone app in the latest iOS 7.1 update, down to the circular End Call button. When a VoIP call comes in, the app displays your caller’s name, along with their photo and phone number. As the screenies attest, WhatsApp’s in-call features apparently include call-muting, directing the call through the speaker and switching back to a messaging session. Akin to other VoIP calling apps on the App Store, switching to another app while the VoIP session is in progress will prompt iOS to put a colored bar at the top so you can easily switch back to the call with a tap.

Another new feature: a camera button at the top of the keyboard which lets you quickly attach multiple photos to a text message. Sending multiple photos in the current WhatsApp version is a multi-tap affair (photo attachments are hidden behind the More button) so this minor tweak should be welcomed by fans of text messaging.

 

WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum confirmed at Mobile World Congress a month ago that“we’re going to introduce voice on WhatsApp in the second quarter of this year.” iOS and Android editions of WhatsApp will get voice calling first, he said, with Windows Phone and some BlackBerry phones getting the feature at a later stage.

According to The Guardian, VoIP calling between WhatsApp users should be free. Currently, WhatsApp has voicemail and lets you send recorded messages to contacts.

You can download WhatsApp free of charge in the App Store.

Although it got refreshed with iOS 7-friendly look back in December, WhatsApp still supports iPhone and iPod touch devices running – wait for it – iOS 4.3 or later.

Viber acquired by e-commerce giant Rakuten for $900 million!

This is kind of interesting. The Wall Street Journal is reporting this morning that the popular voice call app Viber has agreed to a deal to be acquired by Rakuten for $900 million. For those unfamiliar with the e-commerce giant, it’s essentially Japan’s version of Amazon.

Viber is available on all major mobile and desktop platforms, and is one of Skype’s biggest competitors with over 300 million users worldwide. It was one of the first apps to allow 3G VoIP on the iPhone and it now supports land-line calls, messages and even push-to-talk…

Here’s the report from The Journal:

“Japan’s Rakuten Inc. 4755.TO +1.22% said it will acquire call-application maker Viber Media Inc. for $900 million, in the online retailer’s first major foray into voice communications.

The deal for Cyprus-based Viber, which lets users make Internet-based calls on smartphones and computers, expands the Japanese e-commerce giant’s global portfolio of services, which now spans e-readers, financial services, and the baseball team that until recently hosted star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.”

And their statements from the press release:

“I am tremendously excited to welcome Viber to the Rakuten family. Viber delivers the most consistently high quality and convenient messaging and VoIP experience available. Additionally, Viber has introduced a great sticker market and has tremendous potential as a gaming platform. Simply put, Viber understands how people actually want to engage and have built the only service that truly delivers on all fronts. This makes Viber the ideal total consumer engagement platform for Rakuten as we seek to bring our deep understanding of the consumer to vast new audiences through our dynamic ecosystem of Internet Services.”

Viber CEO and Founder, Talmon Marco, underlined these synergies:

“Rakuten is one of the world’s most important Internet companies. It is truly dominant in its home market of Japan and has been rapidly expanding globally. This combination presents an amazing opportunity for Viber to enhance our rapid user growth in both existing and new markets. Sharing similar aspirations with Rakuten, our vision is to be the world’s No.1 communications platform and our combination with Rakuten is an important step in that direction.”

While the $900 million offer seems a bit small in comparison to other tech acquisition deals, it’s worth noting that Viber doesn’t make much money. It’s only recently began generating revenue via sticker sales and Viber Out, which allows users to call non-Viber numbers for a fee.

Rakuten, for its part, generates about $65 billion in revenue per year, and has recently made major investments in Pinterest, and Canadian e-book firm Kobo. There’s no word yet on its plans for Viber, but it appears that it’s going to continue to operate it as a standalone service.

Rovio releases Angry Birds Go! kart racing game

In keeping with its promise to release a new game on December 11, Finnish games developer Rovio Mobile on Wednesday posted Angry Birds Go! on the App Store.

The kart-racing game is reminiscent of Nintendo’s Mario Kart in that you’ll be racing through speedways, canyons, stunt roads and air courses and enjoying a variety of racing modes like Race, Time Boom, Fruit Splat, Champion Chase and Mega Match.

As Angry Birds Go! is set in Rovio’s Angry Birds universe, expect to see the familiar Piggy Island rendered in nice 3D graphics and a selection of familiar (and playable) Angry Birdscharacters, including the iconic pigs like King Pig and Mustache Pig.

There are over 50 soapbox karts to ride, and you can upgrade them by collecting bird coins. The game is available on a free-to-play basis, with in-app purchases available for coins, gems and various power-ups. I’ve included a launch trailer and some pretty screenies after the break…

From the blurb:

Welcome to downhill racing on Piggy Island! In the NEW Angry Birds Go! launch trailer, see those birds and piggies go head-to-head in a fast and furious race to the finish line.

Check out the trailer.

I love that the game lets me teleport characters from Hasbro’s TELEPODS figures.

This “important message for parents” section from iTunes release notes has definitely caught my attention.

It would be nice if other developers followed suit and made important notices like this front and center in their apps’ description.

Here’s the full list of features:

FIRST-EVER 3D ANGRY BIRDS WORLD See the birds and pigs from every angle as Piggy Island comes alive in this rich and colorful 3D world!

RACE AS THE BIRDS OR PIGS Jump behind the wheel and race as Red, Chuck, Terence, Stella, King Pig, Moustache Pig and many other favorites!

MASTER THE TRACKS Plenty of racetracks, stunt roads, air courses and off-road races – each throwing big and unexpected challenges your way!

AWESOME SPECIAL POWERS Smash your opponents off the road and take that winning position thanks to unique special powers for each character!

MANY GAME MODES Test your skills with super-fun and surprising game modes: Race, Time Boom, Fruit Splat, Champion Chase and Mega Match!

UPGRADE YOUR RIDE From a homemade soapbox car to a super-fly supercar, with tons of karts and awesome ways to upgrade – yours to earn or purchase!

MUCH MORE TO COME The race has only just begun – so look out for many more fun things coming your way!

TELEPODS A groundbreaking new way to play! Now teleport your favorite characters into the race by placing your Angry Birds Go! TELEPODS* figures on your device’s camera!

ToonsTV READY TO GO The home of the hugely popular Angry Birds Toons animated series, plus many other top-quality videos!

The game is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry 10 platforms.

To learn more, visit the official Angry Birds Go! website.

Rovio is promising both local and online multiplayer experiences, coming via a spring 2014 update.

Angry Birds Go! is available free in the App Store.

The 97.7MB download supports iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices natively and requires iOS 6 or later. The fourth-generation iPod touch isn’t currently supported due to unexpected crashes and performance issues.