Facebook is testing an improved in-app browser that will keep you there
Forget Chrome and Firefox, Facebook's brand new browser is coming soon. The social networking giant is testing an improved in-app browser that will let users add their own URL so they can check out another page without leaving the Facebook app.
Facebook has been looking for a way for a long time to keep its users within its bounds by providing all kinds of value-added services, such as chats, messengers, etc. However, it lacked a full-fledged browser that could compete with the market leader's power, Google Chrome, and keep its users staying on FB, even when they browse the internet.
The new in-app browser is a step toward making that goal a reality. In addition to the aesthetic tweak, a new bar at the bottom tells you how popular a post is, includes “back” and “forward” buttons, lets you bookmark pages, and has a menu button, which will likely include a few more features.
The only feature missing from Facebook's upcoming browser is tab support. Other than that, the in-app browser is pretty close to being a full-fledged app. Facebook hopes that once the browser is properly configured, the Facebook app could essentially become a standalone ecosystem, he added.
Currently the browser is only available to a small subset of users (iOS only), but most of the features of the public test of the final receiver will be released to the broader public a few months later.
