Coinciding nicely with the launch of iOS 6.1, Facebook has released an update to its official iPhone app, bringing in a new voice messaging feature and several improvements.
The update takes Facebook for iPhone to version 5.4 and brings in the very same voice messaging functionality that has been present on the Android app for a little while. When using the chat feature users can now opt to record themselves and send voice clips as well as regular text.
All you have to do to send a voice message is press the ‘+’ icon next to the text entry box and tap Record. You’ll see the usual red dot record button appear, which you touch and hold whilst you speak your message – release to stop recording and send the message.
Your message will appear the same size as a regular text-based message bubble in chat, with a play button and timer to show the length of the menu – it looks sort of like the track player on SoundCloud.
Another new feature is the ability to record video and upload it to your page directly within the Facebook app itself, which we think is a direct response to Twitter’s recently launched Vine app.
The Nearby feature has also been looked and improved, with a polished user interface and integration with Facebook’s new Graph Search feature. This is likely a move to help Facebook keep up with other popular location apps, like Foursquare.
You can download the latest version of Facebook to your iPhone or iPod Touch from the App Store now.