The Facebook apps for Android and iOS operate fairly well after years of revision and development. But these aren’t your only options if you want to access your Facebook account in a touch-friendly manner. Despite not receiving much attention, Facebook Touch is a mobile browser-optimized version of the social network that has more features than just touch support.
There Was Touch Before Smartphones!
When someone mentions a touch screen nowadays, you might automatically think “smartphone,” but this wasn’t the case in 2009 when Facebook Touch was developed. Most mobile users didn’t have touchscreen smartphones because they hadn’t been around for more than a year or two with the original iPhone and Android phones. Although the future of mobile operating systems was far from certain, social media was already quite well-liked.
So it made perfect sense to design a touch-friendly Facebook interface that isn’t restricted to any one operating system and enables the largest possible number of Facebook users.
Because Facebook Touch is browser-based, you can’t download and set it up, but that’s part of its appeal. You can use Facebook touch as long as your touchscreen device has a working web browser installed.
This does raise the issue of why Facebook Touch is still in existence and is still being actively supported. Given that almost all modern smartphones run either Android or iOS, why keep Facebook Touch?
Not All Touchscreens Use iOS or Android
Even though it may seem like everyone you know owns an Android or iOS device, in 2020, it was predicted that global smartphone penetration stood at 78%. While this is a huge percentage, it still means that more than a billion people do not currently own a smartphone.
People who don’t own smartphones presumably utilize feature phones in large numbers. Even today, feature phones can run simple browsers, and Facebook Touch is compatible with these kinds of phones.
Remember that not all touchscreen contemporary gadgets utilize iOS or Android. Windows touchscreen laptops and Ubuntu Touch devices are two examples of this. Nevertheless, Facebook Touch can support anything with a proper browser, so regardless of the operating system your smartphone is using, it will be a respectable user experience.
How Does the Mobile Site Fare?
Facebook Touch still has benefits over it, though. The most significant ones are that it uses less data, is less crowded, and functions better on devices with screens that have a relatively low resolution. Therefore, Facebook Touch is an excellent option even if you do have a low-end Android or iOS smartphone or an older phone. This brings up the following crucial Facebook Touch benefit: speed!
Fast Facebook Touch!
Facebook Touch doesn’t consume a lot of resources because it is such a condensed version of the full-fat mobile Facebook application or desktop site. This indicates that it performs admirably on older or less capable phones or gadgets and totally sores on newer or more advanced ones.
If you frequently use Facebook and your demands are covered by Facebook Touch’s limited capability, the time you’ll save by using Facebook Touch will mount up.
It’s a Reliable Low-Bandwidth Option
Facebook Touch is not just simple to use on low-end CPUs, but it’s also a decent backup option if you’re in an area without 3G or other faster connection rates. Nowadays, basic 3G is also too slow for the current Facebook experience, however Facebook Touch can help if you’re in GPRS area. The lack of an app requirement is a good advantage. Just use the device’s browser to access the touch site when necessary. It’s the ideal answer for using a sluggish internet connection to access social media.
You might obtain images of higher quality.
Although it’s difficult to demonstrate as a generalization, it appears that some users frequently receive high-quality photographs on their smartphones even when the app or entire mobile website isn’t constantly at their finest. This is probably not Facebook’s fault; it’s merely possible for graphics to load more quickly and videos to play without many, if any, stutters when you’re using a device with little bandwidth or CPU power.
Facebook Touch Is Power Efficient
Although most modern smartphones have amazing battery life, you’ll want to conserve as much power as you can when you’re down to the last few percentage points. Since the Facebook Touch website just loads the essential information you need to access Facebook, it can help you get a little more use out of your battery. There is a lot going on in the applications and on the entire mobile web page, which might occasionally drain the battery.
