Facebook adds iPhone 5 support but forgets to include the necessary screenshots

Oct 1, 2012 08:11 GMT  ·  By

Apple seems to be favoring big developers like Facebook when it comes to breaking the App Store guidelines. Facebook claims to have updated its Messenger application for iOS 6 and iPhone 5, but the social network has failed to submit the appropriate marketing assets alongside the binary.

Yes, we’re talking about Apple’s newly-emerged rule that forces every iPhone developer to include screenshots with 1136x640 resolution for their first software update taking advantage of the new iPhone’s 4-inch display.

Apple recently sent out a message to developers through iTunes Connect that said, “If you are updating your app for iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation), you must provide additional screenshots to support the new screen dimensions for the App Store.”

After outlining the actual screen resolutions, Apple proceeded to inform developers where they need to submit the new imagery.

A warning then followed, with Apple stating, “If you deliver a new app binary that takes advantage of the new screen size for iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) without screenshots in the new dimensions, the status of your app will change to Missing Screenshot.”

Your app will not be reviewed until you upload screenshots with the correct dimensions. You will also need to upload screenshots for any added localizations you have set up on iTunes Connect,” Apple said (emphasis ours).

While pretty much everyone else has complied, Facebook Inc. seems reluctant to the way its application is promoted in the Apple App Store.

The screenshots for version 2.0 are the exact same ones used to promote the app before the iPhone 5 release. Their resolution hasn’t changed either, yet Apple has approved the update.

It’s also possible Apple itself forgot to include the imagery in the updated description.

However, the iPhone maker also requires that developers mention iPhone 5 optimizations in the system requirements, something that’s also missing for Facebook Messenger 2.0.

Speaking of which, Facebook Messenger now lets you swipe left anywhere in the app to quickly see who's available and send a message, as well as to add friends you message most to the top of your Favorites. The conversations view has a new design too.

The last three changes mentioned in the release notes are (highlight ours, again), “improved speed and reliability;” “support for iOS 6 and iPhone 5;” and “bug fixes.”

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Facebook Messenger screenshots
(Gmail iOS) An example of what the iPhone 5 screenshots look like
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