With an intent to make updates for its Android app more reliable and better performing, social networking company Facebook has announced a new beta testing program for its Android app.
This program will help Facebook get performance data and feedback from users ahead of release of the final version of the app. Facebook's reasoning for opening the program to a wider audience is that the ability to receive feedback across a wider range of devices and versions of Android, compared to feedback received through internal testing which is limited to a few devices. Facebook mentions that it has already moved to four-week release cycles for updates on Android to fix issues, add new features via updated versions of the app.
This program provides regular users an option to get early access to new features that upcoming versions would introduce, at the cost of instability that comes with beta apps. Previously Facebook was testing apps through beta programs for its employees, select users and its industry partners.
Users will now be able to join the program by simply joining the
Facebook for Android Beta Testers Google group and then clicking on 'Become a Tester' in the Play Store, following which they'll be able to download beta versions of the Facebook app directly through the Play Store. Some users might also see prompts to download the beta build in a special notification within the Facebook for Android app. The company has also set-up a
group on Facebook where users can submit their feedback. A new 'Report a Problem' button is also part of the app's menu for reporting bugs and other issues.
The current version of the beta app (version 3.4) brings new functionalities and improvements including the ability to share News Feed stories in a private message, swipe left and right to open chat and bookmarks and the ability to store the app on the phone's SD card for users running Android 2.3.7 and lower. It also brings a new feature to Facebook Home allowing users to organise their apps with folders.
The move follows the
introduction of Facebook for Windows Phone Beta app program by Microsoft through which it had introduced a Beta app that doesn't appear in Windows Phone Store searches but is open to everyone. The app, that can co-exist with the current stable release of the Facebook app, allows volunteers to try the app and report bugs.