Facebook Reportedly Being Integrated Into IOS 6

With one rumor following another, it is beginning to look like iOS 6 is indeed going to have deep Facebook integration, TechCrunch has learned from sources. According to the sources, the Facebook integration is supposedly going to work just as seamlessly as the current Twitter integration.

You’d enter your Facebook information into the default iOS Settings application, and then from there be able to approve which apps can access them as needed. This report also follows along with a rumor from earlier (posted on iDownloadBlog) stating that a main focus of iOS 6 would be the stock iOS applications. They state that:

As our credible source with deep connections at Apple pointed out, big stuff is expected across the board as Apple has apparently re-written stock iOS apps to take advantage of new iOS features.

With all of this, it is looking like Facebook integration is most likely going to be a big part of this new version of iOS, just as Twitter effected most major apps (Safari, YouTube, Maps, Photos, etc). TechCrunch’s writer wrote about what their sources relayed to them, stating:

Now the two sides appear on the brink of formalizing the relationship. After much speculation, Facebook integration will indeed be baked into the latest version of iOS, we’ve learned.

It’s important to note that Apple being Apple, something could change in the next week and a half (see again: Facebook/Ping). But as of right now, Facebook is a go in iOS “Sundance”.

If you’ve seen anything or heard anything about OS X Mountain Lion, you will know that iOS has had quite a large influence on the features being introduced. Supposedly this is going to be coming to OS X as well, but it will reportedly not be ready for it’s release.

The sharing feature of iOS 6 is supposedly still being worked on though, and TechCrunch goes on to say that:

Sharing is the other big part of the iOS/Twitter integration, and will be important for iOS/Facebook integration as well. But Facebook is significantly more complicated than Twitter in that there are all kinds of permissions for what you can post where and who can see what. And Open Graph adds another layer of complexity to all of this.

My guess is that Apple will keep things simple with at least the initial Facebook/iOS integration. Beyond authentication, there will probably be a Facebook button in the existing share screen which will allow you to share something to your Facebook Wall.

I’m personally hoping this comes true, as Facebook integration is a very requested feature of iOS. We’ll just have to wait and see.

What do you think? Are you hoping Apple put’s Facebook into iOS 6, or should they leave it out? Let us know in the comments.

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