Facebook Ditches HTML5, Debuts Fully Native Android App

Several months after Facebook announced a changed of course and introduced a native iOS app, i.e. an built entirely with native APIs and technologies, it's doing the same for Android, like it promised.

Facebook for Android 2.0 is now in the Play Store and you should be getting an update if you have it installed.

Facebook boasts that the new app is twice as fast as the old one and there's no reason not to believe it, since it get rids of the HTML5 components that were used for several big features of the app.

"When you’re on your phone, nothing matters more than getting what you want quickly. We're always working to make our apps faster, and in this update we've rebuilt news feed, notifications and Timeline for speed," Facebook wrote.

The new app also comes with a new look. The photo experience is much improved, tap on any photo and it's displayed in full screen right away. You can even browse through the album it's from without leaving the news feed.