Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 may had encountered several rough time getting big name companies to build proper apps for it, but Windows 10’s Universal App Platform might finally be starting to counter this trend. As announced during Build 2016, Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram now have native Windows 10 apps that actually have the features users want to use.
There was previously a Facebook app on the Windows Store built for Windows 8 desktop users, but it was about as barebones as anybody could get. Many users were better off just opening it up in a browser.
Now desktop users can access the full set of reactions, add stickers to comments, view trending topics and basically do all the things they would expect from an up-to-date Facebook app. And since it’s built with the UWP, that means it uses native Windows 10 features like notifications pop ups, live tiles, and sharing across apps.
The same goes for Messenger, which didn’t even have an app for desktop Windows 10 devices. Users can use stickers, group conversations and GIFs, view notifications in the Action Center, and see unread messages in their Start Menu Live Tiles.
Meanwhile Instagram is rolling out for Windows 10 Mobile after being in beta for a few months. It would be nice to see a desktop edition for Windows tablet users, but perhaps that will arrive somewhere down the road.
The three apps will be available in the Windows Store in a few days, and Facebook and Messenger will also be getting up-to-date mobile apps "later this year." It is a good sign that Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform strategy might just be working, as Facebook and other developers just have to build one app that can work across a variety of devices – that ultimately helps Windows 10 Mobile.
There was previously a Facebook app on the Windows Store built for Windows 8 desktop users, but it was about as barebones as anybody could get. Many users were better off just opening it up in a browser.
Now desktop users can access the full set of reactions, add stickers to comments, view trending topics and basically do all the things they would expect from an up-to-date Facebook app. And since it’s built with the UWP, that means it uses native Windows 10 features like notifications pop ups, live tiles, and sharing across apps.
The same goes for Messenger, which didn’t even have an app for desktop Windows 10 devices. Users can use stickers, group conversations and GIFs, view notifications in the Action Center, and see unread messages in their Start Menu Live Tiles.
Meanwhile Instagram is rolling out for Windows 10 Mobile after being in beta for a few months. It would be nice to see a desktop edition for Windows tablet users, but perhaps that will arrive somewhere down the road.
The three apps will be available in the Windows Store in a few days, and Facebook and Messenger will also be getting up-to-date mobile apps "later this year." It is a good sign that Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform strategy might just be working, as Facebook and other developers just have to build one app that can work across a variety of devices – that ultimately helps Windows 10 Mobile.
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