Facebook mtouch is a browser-based mobile version of the popular Facebook website that has now been superseded. It was Facebook’s first attempt to provide a simplified user experience for touch-based mobile devices. It has now been rolled into the m.facebook.com domain.
Building the mobile web has been a massive challenge for tech companies, with Facebook being no exception. It has presented a number of technical hurdles and taken a huge amount of effort from development teams.
For those not wanting to install the Facebook application on their phones, the web-based version was the only option.
In trying to satisfy the demand for browser-based access, Facebook ended up with two different mobile versions of the popular social network. We explain the differences below. We also take a look at how Facebook has now unified the experience with a single platform for mobile.
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What is Facebook Mtouch?
Facebook mtouch is a browser-based mobile version of the popular Facebook website that has now been superseded. It was Facebook’s first attempt to provide a simplified user experience for touch-based mobile devices. It has now been rolled into the m.facebook.com domain.
Let’s clear something up right away! There were in fact two different versions of mobile Facebook in existence until 2016:
- m.facebook.com
- touch.facebook.com (also mtouch.facebook.com)
The first URL, m.facebook.com, was originally meant for less capable touchless devices to have basic access to Facebook. The user experience was less feature-rich. It also demanded less from the hardware in the phone. This was particularly useful for users in developing countries with older handsets and limited bandwidth.
The second URL, touch.facebook.com, or mtouch.facebook.com (Mtouch), are actually one and the same. These domains were intended to provide touch-based access to Facebook on touch-capable devices – including both mobile phones and tablets.
Replacement for Facebook Mtouch
In March 2016 Facebook rolled out a single website for all web-based browser access to Facebook. Since then all mobile access resolves to m.facebook.com (which had previously included Facebook mtouch).
The main driver for this change was to manage the complexity of maintaining two separate browser-based versions.
Facebook had to cater to thousands of different devices, all with varying capabilities. Technical differences included the screen size, keyboards, CSS and JavaScript support, and many other technologies.
There were two major problems with the dual site approach:
- Limitation to the lowest common denominator: JavaScript couldn’t be used and there were device-specific file size limitations
- Support for multiple code-bases: each time a new feature was built, it had to be integrated into two separate codebases.
With the new single framework, m.facebook.com, users with more capable devices get all of the benefits, including a feature-rich touch interface. Those with older phones receive a simplified basic version of the site.
What Technology Does Mobile Facebook Use?
How did Facebook achieve all of this? In short, it was a massive challenge!
The new site uses a UI framework based on XHP, Javelin, and WURFL. Facebook uses a huge database to map user agents to literally thousands of device footprints.
This means that individual elements of the tech stack can be targeted at specific capable devices. Pretty neat, huh?
The framework can solve specific problems that the developers had. For example, some devices do not have keyboards, of have other navigation issues when browsing a page.
Tiny screen and known browser bugs are other examples. These kinds of issues can be solved by the UI framework – which can contain specific workarounds.
Overall the mobile UI framework enables Facebook developers to focus on building core functionality and product. The UI framework takes care of individual device edge-cases.
Some great examples are outlined here on the Facebook website.
What Are the Differences Between Regular Facebook and Mobile Facebook?
There are a number of differences between regular Facebook and mobile Facebook (m.facebook.com). The first and most obvious one is the URL. Regular Facebook is facebook.com whereas mobile Facebook is m.facebook.com.
URLs aside, the main difference is that mobile Facebook is intended and optimized for mobile devices: whereas regular Facebook is designed for laptop and desktop computers.
On a desktop or laptop device, you can test this for yourself by entering the two URLs into two separate tabs of your browser. Enter and log in using facebook.com on the first tab, and m.facebook.com on the second.
The differences are quite obvious.
Regular Facebook
Mobile Facebook
The regular Facebook page has a more complex layout and richer UI features. The mobile Facebook page appears quite dated. The mobile Facebook page has a simplified layout and resembles more the mobile UI.
Of course, the mobile Facebook version renders better on an actual mobile device!
For the best experience, use regular Facebook on your desktop or laptop, and mobile Facebook on your tablet or phone.
Mobile Facebook Features
The single mobile version of Facebook that we’ve had since 2016 (previously mtouch) has a number of useful features. That starts with a rich user interface that is also touch-capable:
In addition, there are many others features and advantages:
- Access to groups and lists available on the main version of the site
- Group membership is displayed and easily accessible
- The same experience regardless of mobile OS: Android & IOS
- The same experience regardless of web browser: Firefox, Chrome, Mozilla, Edge & Safari
- Scrollable news feed and quicker image browsing
- A Responsive design that displays better on the screen – regardless of the screen size
- The chat feature is available
- It’s always current: you’ll always be using the latest version of Facebook
What’s Next for Mobile Facebook?
Nobody knows what is next for Mobile Facebook, previously Facebook Mtouch.
Having developed the two original versions, mobile Facebook and Facebook mtouch (touch Facebook) into a single unified version, our guess is that it will continue to be improved and refined alongside the Facebook App.
As the social network undergoes future change and as technologies continue to evolve, it will doubtlessly change again in the future.