iOS 6 to Bring Facebook Integration

At the All Things D10 conference, Apple's CEO - Tim Cook - said on its relationships with Facebook to "stay tuned" amid questions on why the company only integrates Twitter in its mobile operating system. Now, rumors suggest the company will be bringing Facebook to iOS 6.

The news comes from TechCrunch, adding Facebook isn't replacing Twitter and developer sessions will be held at WWDC from June 11 on the ongoing partnership. iOS 5 users can currently tweet and share photos from the OS.

"This is a huge win for Facebook, which until now has relied on the sort of clunky Single Sign On technique in iOS where you click a connect button in an app and get fast-app-switched to the Facebook app to authorize permission," TechCrunch said. Facebook integration would mean a quicker process for updating statues and sharing photos, rather than the slow pop-up window currently used when signing into the service.

TechCrunch didn't guarantee the integration will happen between now and WWDC, but said it was likely. Its sources said the two parties are still working out how sharing will work; unlike Twitter, Facebook users can configure permissions for what content can be shared and seen. On Twitter, users either do or don't share.

"My guess is that Apple will keep things simple with at least the initial Facebook/iOS integration. Beyond authentication, there will probably be a Facebook button in the existing share screen which will allow you to share something to your Facebook Wall," the Web site's MG Siegler said.

While the service could be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 11, Apple doesn't release versions of iOS widely at the event. The Developer Preview, and its many updates, will probably build up to the launch of the iPhone 5 around autumn.

Outside of Google Maps competitors, features for iOS 6 are unknown. Some users have requested a revamp of the OS, which has used the grid-based app layout since its debut in 2007.

TechCrunch also said Facebook integration won't be coming to OS X Mountain Lion for now, and there definitely won't be Google Plus-iOS integration.