Facebook has revamped its iPhone and iPad app from scratch to address complaints that it was slow to use.
The program had previously been created in the HTML5 language. A team of engineers has now rewritten it in Objective-C and says it should now respond to commands twice as quickly.
The move may encourage users to spend more time using the program, increasing their exposure to adverts.
The announcement follows Facebook’s efforts to increase the amount of advertising on its apps.
Earlier this month it announced third-party app developers could start placing ads in users’ mobile-device news feeds.
If a user clicks on one of the links, they will be redirected to the appropriate app store from where they can purchase the software. Facebook charges a fee for each click.
It has also introduced Sponsored Stories – posts created by an advertiser that appear if a “friend”, or page the user is connected to, shares the material. By paying a fee, the business or organisation can increase the likelihood their posts will be seen.