There has been a lot of recent talk about a new Facebook development project named “Spartan”. The aim is to launch a HTML5 App Store and a Facebook app which are both purely HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript-based.
It has been suggested that this is a direct attack on Apple’s App Store in response to the recent iOS 5 update which heavily features Twitter integration, yet forgoes Facebook integration. Facebook deny this, claiming that Project Spartan is merely part of their overall mobile development strategy.
Facebook and Apple have famously had a close relationship in the past but some are saying this relationship has degraded in more recent times due to changes in Apple’s allegiances with other social providers.
By choosing HTML5 as a platform for the new range of apps, Facebook can ensure cross-device compatibility across a range of tablets and smartphones, regardless of Flash support.
Facebook fanning the HTML5 flames should hopefully increase awareness, support and adoption of this promising new language.
By creating their own app store that runs entirely through the Safari mobile web browser, Facebook has effectively circumvented the Apple App Store, by allowing Apple users to access mobile-optimised apps and content directly from Facebook via their mobile browser, monetised by Facebook “credits”.
Strangely; with one hand Project Spartan flies in the face of Apple by devaluing its’ app store, while simultaneously helping Apple to kill Flash with the other.
A tentative release date for Project Spartan is expected to be August 1st 2011. Naturally, we will be keeping an eye on this and will keep you posted. As the name of the project suggests, there could be a fight!
If you wish to read more on this, this article written on Tech Crunch provides more detail.
The question is…Which platform will you choose? App Store, Project Spartan or both?