Facebook for Android SDK updated to be more in line with the iOS counterpart

Facebook has updated its SDK for Android to bring it more in line with the iOS version. The major update is bringing along with it some major improvements for developers and is already available via Facebook’s Android Dev Center right now.

Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that the features that are now being made available to the Android SDK were already available to iOS developers. In a blog post announcing the changes, Chris Lang from Facebook wrote that the update is bringing along products promised for the SDK back in April. The SDK for Android now includes Share Dialog and support for the Object API as well as the ability to implement Open Graph on mobile easily. Lang assured that Facebook’s aim was to help developers build great apps on any device and platform. About 73 percent of the top 100 grossing Android apps integrate with Facebook and the release of the new SDK will probably see more apps integrating with Facebook.

Better sharing with the updated SDK

The Share Dialog is one of the most important updates to the Android SDK and will eliminate at least three extra steps required to log in to Facebook before being able to share via the feed dialog. With one line of code, developers will be able to enable users to share as well as tag friends in it. Additionally, the Dialog will include support for publishing Open Graph actions, which will make it easier for people to posts stories.

The SDK is also bringing along a much improved Facebook Login UI that not only looks better but also converts at a higher rate. The LoginButton now looks different and the default text reads “Log in with Facebook”. Developers will be able to use the redesigned UI without needing to rewrite any codes. Of course, they can still override the default text on the LoginButton via localisation. Facebook has also announced support for Object API, the tool that makes it easier to integrate Open Graph into Android apps. Developers will no longer need to host webpages with Open Graph tags and will be able to create Open Graph objects directly.

New LoginButton!

With the Android SDK, Facebook is launching in beta the option of publishing and measuring app events for applications. Developers will be able to get a lot more accurate understanding of how their app is performing with the trial insights and targeting feature. This is a huge leap from being only able to measure the number of installs that stemmed from advertising on mobiles. “With app events, you can now also measure the aggregate number of times a predefined action was taken within your app, such as 'add to cart' in a commerce app, 'level achieved' in a game, or other custom events that help you understand the engagement and ROI coming from your mobile ads on Facebook,” wrote Lang. “Over the next several months, we will be working on improving our optimization and insights and developing new features that will further leverage app events.”

Also added is an App User ID for custom audiences. Developers will be able to reach people who have installed or purchased their app by defining the ID and uploading this encrypted list onto Facebook’s ad tool as custom audience. This will be a great new addition for developers who have apps that run mobile app install ads.

You can download the updated Facebook for Android SDK here.

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Google Maps iOS and Android apps now feature Waze data on accidents

A nifty update is here for those who use the Google Maps application on their Android and iOS devices. Brian McClendon, VP, Google Maps, has confirmed in a post that the teams at Google Maps and Waze have joined hands to make it simpler for users of both platforms to navigate through their life. 

For those unfamiliar, Waze is essentially a GPS-based real-time service that provides turn-by-turn navigation. It relies on crowdsourced route details, including information about traffic, accidents and more. Now when Waze users report about accidents, road closures, constructions, et al on the platform, Google Maps will feature that data, enabling users to make better decisions pertaining to their travel. This ability is being rolled out for Google Maps Android and iOS app users in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, UK and the US.

A screenshot of the Waze app

Two new updates have been introduced to the Waze Android and iOS apps too, first being support for Google Search. Once they’ve updated their applications, Waze users will have access to additional search results when navigating. The Waze Map Editor, following a successful beta test, now features Google Street View and satellite imagery, so as to make it simpler for them to correct map errors reported by the community.   

Google recently revealed that it shelled out a whopping $966 million to purchase Israeli mapping start-up Waze. The search giant had finalised the deal to buy Waze in June and the price amount being speculated during the time was in the vicinity of $1 billion. 

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SwiftKey Cloud update now available for all Android devices

SwiftKey has announced today that it is rolling out the SwiftKey Cloud service on Android and is also offering a 50 percent discount on the application to promote the feature. The Cloud will back up your personalised dictionary and all your favourite words as you jump between devices.

The application has been upped to version 4.2 on Google Play Store and the Cloud feature is rolling out to Android devices now. SwiftKey Cloud was first launched as a beta feature late last month, where you had to download it separately from SwiftKey’s website.

Now available for all Android devices

The Cloud feature will help you back up your writing style and phrases you use often along with your writing habits. When you switch to another device, where you have SwiftKey installed, the Cloud will teach the app your style of writing. You will not need to fret about teaching the newly downloaded application your likes and dislikes, saving you a good few days of headache.

The Cloud also comes loaded with a new feature called Trending Phrases that sifts through news sources like Twitter to figure out what are the hottest keywords currently. So the next time you try and message your friend about the Royal Baby around the time there’s a new announcement about him, SwiftKey will automatically suggest relevant words for you to type. The update also features enhanced personalisation with one-click sync with Yahoo! Mail, Twitter, RSS and SMS. SwiftKey will now be able to learn better how you type. The feature is launching in a bunch of languages including English US, English UK and Hindi.

SwiftKey has said that it is waiting to launch the feature on other App Stores besides Google Play as soon as approvals come through. You can grab SwiftKey for Rs 50 for a limited period of time using the Play Store right now.

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iOS and Android versions of FIFA 14 to be free-to-play

EA seems to be really pushing the freemium model for its mobile games. The company has announced that the upcoming iOS and Android versions of FIFA 14 will be free-to-play games. Of course, nothing good in the world ever comes free, so FIFA 14 will sport some microtransactions that might compel some to part with their real-world money.

The decision to make it free-to-play undoubtedly comes hot on the heels of the success of Real Racing 3 and Plants vs Zombies 2, which were launched on mobile platforms earlier this year. Both games, being free, offer microtransactions where players can pay real money to get in-game items and boosts.

FIFA 14 will be free on mobiles

Along with this, EA has also announced that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game will be getting demos. The Xbox 360 and PC version of the demo will be available on September 10, whereas the PlayStation 3 version of the demo will be available on September 10 in North America and the next day in the rest of the world.

The game will be hitting stores on September 24 in North America and September 27 in the rest of the world. The game will be available on a wide variety of platforms—Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. When the next-gen Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hit stores, FIFA 14 will also be making its way to them.

The PC version of FIFA 14 is currently up for pre-order on EA’s digital distribution service Origin. It is available for a hefty price tag of Rs 2,499.

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