Facebook home downloaded 500,000 times in two weeks

"It could change the relationship people have with their mobile devices"; Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook's Home app for Android phones has been downloaded more than 500,000 times from the Google Play store since its release on 4 April.

But it has received mixed reviews from users, with an average rating of 2.2 out of five stars.

The free-to-download app effectively replaces the phone's home screen with a Facebook feed and chat options.

Some of the 11,000 reviews left for the app on Google Play mention issues with battery life and there are complaints that once Facebook Home is installed, widgets - which can be used on Android phones to customise other applications - no longer work.

Just over half of those rating the app gave it just one star, while about 1,800 gave it a top score of five stars.

While many agree it is a "good start" for the social-network giant's new approach to its mobile presence, lots of reviewers also admit it is only likely to appeal to Facebook's most dedicated users.

"If you're someone who constantly wants to be in the loop with what's going on, then this is for you," wrote one user on the reviews page. She added that she was planning to uninstall it.

Another wrote that the app was "smooth and pretty fast", but agreed "good friends" were required to keep the constant access interesting.
Source: BBC
Posted by Unknown 4/22/2013