Facebook has integrated a new feature into its mobile apps and website, which allows users to spot nearby friends.
The Find Friends Nearby page uses GPS coordinates and shows other people currently visiting that ‘meeting room,’ whether you’re already friends with them or not. Non-friends will be listed in an ‘Others’ section.
Both parties have to be on the page for the discovery to occur so it is not a totally random discovery process which may appeal to some but not to others.
The functionality can be accessed through http://fb.com/ffn on the mobile web, while also though the iOS and Android apps (menu > apps > find friends > other tools > Find Friends Nearby.)
The innovation comes months after Facebook purchased the Glancee app, which is geared towards helping people find those with similar interests to their own.
It’s unclear whether this tech has been involved in creating Find Friends Nearby.
The feature was created during a Facebook hackathon by developer Ryan Patterson and another Facebook engineer.
Patterson said: ‘I built Find Friends Nearby with another engineer for a hackathon project. While it was originally called ‘Friendshake,’ we settled on ‘Find Friends Nearby’ for launch (the URL was a little bit of a homage to the previous iteration).
“For me, the ideal use case for this product is the one where when you’re out with a group of people whom you’ve recently met and want to stay in contact with Facebook search might be effective, or sharing your vanity addresses or business cards, but this tool provides a really easy way to exchange contact information with multiple people with minimal friction.”
Before its iPO in New York last month, Facebook admitted that mobile was an area of weakness. The company said that revenue growth would be negatively affected by a failure to improve its mobile advertising strategy.
Facebook’s IPO has been described as the worst in a decade. Shares fell consistently from the $38 launch price, at one point falling below $30.
http://www.facebook.com/ffn
