If you are on Windows Phone 8.1 then you may have already updated your Facebook app to latest version 8.1.4.4 and if not you may like to do so. This version of Facebook brings a different kind of integration to Windows Phone. Till Windows Phone 8, the Facebook was baked within the OS and with the new app it still is deeply integrated, in fact slightly better. So, what has changed from Windows Phone 8 to Windows Phone 8.1 in terms of Facebook integration.
- No Facebook chat in messaging and it seems because of Facebook’s thrust of having a separate messenger app on all platforms.
- There is no Facebook account configuration needed in “email+accounts” settings, once you have installed the latest Facebook app.
- As you can see now there is “connect with the phone” settings in the new Facebook app itself and switching this settings on makes Facebook integrate to “People hub, Photos app and even the calendar, which is an improvement over Windows Phone 8. As can be seen, in the 3rd screenshot above, now B’days of Facebook friends appears automatically in Calendar.
The Twitter Beta which has appeared and later withdrawn from store comes with similar integration and that is not a bad thing. Separate apps not baked in OS allow for quicker updates and new features can be added much faster.
You may like to read and learn more about Windows Phone 8.1 by following our dedicated Windows Phone 8.1 changelog, hands-on and tutorials page.
