Following Facebook’s announcement of the Facebook App Center about a month ago, the company is now beginning to test their new portal with users. TechCrunch notes that some users are beginning to see a new App Center tab in the Facebook iOS app’s navigation menu, granting those users a sneak peek at the feature before it launches to the general public.
The App Center is intended to help users find Facebook-connected mobile apps, and includes recommendations based on “editors’ selections,” as well as which apps a users’ Facebook friends are using or recommending to others.
Facebook’s App Center lists apps spanning across a number of platforms, including iOS, Android, and desktop platforms, and should provide a nice boost to developers who otherwise might have difficulty finding the ideal audience for their app.
It’s unclear whether or not Apple is involved in the App Center or how they will react, but from my standpoint, it can only help Apple and its users: It will help Apple by encouraging users to download more apps, and it will help users by making it easier to see how their connections feel about a certain app before trying it themselves. And of course, it will also be great for Facebook, as it will provide an extra incentive for developers to integrate social features into their apps!
The timing of Facebook’s increased testing of the App Center is especially interesting considering that Apple’s WWDC keynote is set to take place on Monday. iOS 6 is rumored to feature deep Facebook integration, and I can’t help but wonder if the App Center could be a significant part of that.
