In the upcoming weeks, Facebook will be making drastic changes to its system. The site will sport a major UI overhaul and a new platform for developers to work with is in production. Facebook feels these changes will help the social network in numerous ways. However Slide, one of Facebook’s biggest application makers, may feel differently.
A Change of Heart
Slide’s VP of strategy and business development, Keith Rabois has confirmed that the company will concentrate on its current applications on Facebook instead of releasing new apps. This seems to be a smart move from the company since Facebook’s upcoming overhaul will make things harder for developers to not only get their apps to Facebook users, but also to grow their apps. While Sillicon Alley Insider feels this means the end is near for the Facebook app “landgrab”, we feel that Slide may simply be adapting to future conditions of Facebook’s new platform until all the kinks are sorted out. On the other hand, this is ultimately good news to new developers entering the Facebook app arena.
The Consequences
What happens if Slide doesn’t release another app? If their current applications slow down in growth, this could be a devastating move for the company on Facebook. The move is a smart one for now. They are well established on Facebook with plenty of apps to focus on. Focusing on their current products for now is the best thing the company could do to secure their place until the new overhaul is released and properly tested. However, we wouldn’t advise Slide to refrain from releasing apps ever again for Facebook and we would warn them not to wait too long before releasing their next app.
