Facebook 3.0 For iPhone Submitted. Now Let's Count The Days Until It's Available
Facebook has submitted v. 3.0 of their iPhone application to Apple, Joe Hewitt says via Twitter: “Just uploaded Facebook for iPhone 3.0 to the App Store for review. :)” — Hewitt also says he'll post screen shots …
Context & Ripple Effects
Facebook had already outlined its planned iPhone 3.0 release in July, following a 2.0 app rollout in 2008. The submission moves that planned update into Apple’s App Store review process, making Apple the immediate gatekeeper for distribution.
First-order effects
- Facebook’s iPhone users cannot receive version 3.0 until Apple completes App Store review, while Facebook’s release timing is no longer solely in its own hands.
Second-order effects
- Apple’s review process becomes the scheduling constraint for Facebook’s mobile product cycle, requiring Facebook to align public release expectations with platform approval.
Third-order effects
- The episode illustrates how major consumer internet services on the iPhone depend on a platform owner’s qualification process to reach their installed user base.
The trend: Mobile services are becoming recurring app-update businesses, with App Store approval serving as a key control point between developers and users.