Facebook unveils hub for brand apps
Facebook is to start selling third-party apps directly for the first time, as it steps up efforts to widen its revenue streams ahead of its floatation on the stock exchange later this month.
The feature will launch in the coming weeks as part of Facebook’s new App Centre, which sorts apps on the social network by category and user ratings.
It will allow consumers to purchase apps, using the company’s payment system Facebook Credits, directly from developers on the social network for the first time.
In a post on Facebook’s developer blog the social network said launches on the hub will include apps from Draw Something, Pinterest, Spotify, Battle Pirates, Viddy, and Bubble Witch Saga, although it is not expected to be available to users for several weeks.
The move is designed to grow the company’s mobile app roster as the company looks to exploit the number of users accessing pages on smartphone devices. In March Facebook started showing advertisements to users on mobile devices.
It comes as the company moves to assure potential investors that it has a long-term business strategy in place to drive revenues, ahead of its upcoming initial public offering, which is expected to value the company at around $95bn (£58.9bn).