Facebook Home pre-release leaks

[Guest PaulOBrien]

[Edit: The release version of Facebook Home can now be found in this topic.]

A pre-release version of Facebook Home has leaked ahead of the planned 12th April Play Store release date (also the release date for the HTC First 'Facebook phone').

The build itself (pulled from a pre-release HTC First ROM) seems to be rather buggy and incomplete (I can't get 'Chat Heads' working for example), but it's interesting to have a play with to see what Facebook has in store for us later this week.

In order to use the leak, you need an Android device with a maximum resolution of 1280x768 and the ability to completely uninstall your existing Facebook app. This is important, as the leaked APKs are re-signed and can't just be installed over the top of an existing installation. This will automatically exclude some devices which have Facebook installed in the base ROM. If you're on a Nexus device you're good! Even if you do have Facebook in ROM, provided you are rooted there are workarounds - i'll detail these in the comments. If you have any problems installing post below and i'll help if I can.

The leak itself is 3 APKs - the main 'katana' Facebook app: DOWNLOAD (ROMraid), the now-integrated-with-your-SMS 'orca' Messenger app: DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) (orca) and the 'home' Launcher shell app: DOWNLOAD (ROMraid). Simply install all 3 and you're set - bear in mind you do so at your own risk!

In the settings you can find some interesting options such as whether to hide the notification bar by default or not (if it is hidden, sweeping down from the top of the screen reveals it). Let us know your thoughts! :)

[Edit: It's just been pointed out to me that the original leak was signed with test keys, which could present a security risk. With that in mind i've re-signed the APKs with my own private key for peace of mind and updated the download links.]

Click here to view the item

[Guest PaulOBrien]

If you're rooted and want to play on a device with Facebook preinstalled, you need to...

• Find the location of Facebook in your system partition (e.g. /system/app/Facebook.apk or perhaps /system/app/Facebook_Client.apk)
  
• Delete said file (after backing it up!)
  
• Reboot device
  
• Install Facebook from the Play Store then uninstall it
  
• Install above APKs

Simples. :)

P

[Guest Ze_Raketes]

There is any way to run this on a 1080P device? Xperia Z for example?

Thanks

[Guest cybermungo]

Hi paul, is it possible to create a mirror because I cannot download from mega (on mobile). Regards

[Guest 3shirts]

I'm tempted to try but, good grief Facebook, stop trying to take over my ENTIRE life!

[Guest Serious_Beans]

Hey Paul, thanks for the leak. I'm having an issue though. My screen is just black and I only see my icon, other than that I have no feed I guess? I uninstalled Facebook from my Nexus 4 and then installed all the APKs. I can access apps and such and no fc it's just a black screen with nothing but my icon.

Thanks

[Guest harcheng]

Hey Paul, thanks for the leak. I'm having an issue though. My screen is just black and I only see my icon, other than that I have no feed I guess? I uninstalled Facebook from my Nexus 4 and then installed all the APKs. I can access apps and such and no fc it's just a black screen with nothing but my icon.

Thanks

Yeah unfortunately I get the blank screen too. They could have disabled it or something

[Guest ricosuave727]

Yeah I'm also having the same problem on my nexus 4 , maybe its not compatible for our phone yet .

[Guest --__--]

Same thing here (Galaxy Nexus)

[Guest Lex20nine]

I've installed it in my modded ZTE Skate (running Andoid 4.2) but I only get a black screen and my icon. Camera shortcut not working, and shortcuts for status update, photo upload and checkin are not working, either. No feed, no nothing.

I thought maybe it was too much for my device but I see other users here with more powerful devices have the same problem.

[Guest --__--]

Could it be a 4.2 problem? does any of the supported phones run 4.2 yet?

[Guest Lex20nine]

Maybe something to do with a hardware signature or anything like that?

[Guest PaulOBrien]

It looks like Facebook turned something off. :)

Investigating!

P

[Guest ricosuave727]

I think its actually a 4.2 problem since none of those phones are running 4.2 and if they are its only the HTC one and the galaxy s4 and those phones are not even out yet .

[Guest film_girl]

Yeah I'm also getting the blank screen error (stock Nexus 4). The 4.2 theory is interesting -- since all the supported devices run 4.1.x.

Oh well, thanks for the leak!

[Guest PaulOBrien]

Also happening on my 4.1 equipped Galaxy Nexus!

P

[Guest Lex20nine]

Well. Looks like 4.2 thing was discarded. Maybe is as Paul points out: Facebook got mad at us for being so curious and shut down/changed something =(

[Guest PaulOBrien]

Yeah, i'd say that's what's happened. Kudos on them for having the ability to do that. ;)

P

[Guest Lex20nine]

Well. Thanks Paul. I guess we're gonna have to wait for a new leak or official release, in the end :/

[Guest DMJTRAYNOR]

I have a Nexus 4 (4.2.2) CyanogenMod 10.1 and I installed the leaked apks earlier. Mine is still working! Very buggy tho and hardly anything works.

[Guest whoisrikk]

Same issue here. Around an hour ago, worked well on the Nexus S, then screen got black. Installed on Nexus 7 afterwards, black screen from the first run.

[Guest DMJTRAYNOR]

Refreshed app. Now getting black screen.

[Guest Scott Ricketts]

Ditto on the black screen. Facebook must be cheesed.

[Guest PaulOBrien]

It's a little annoying that I found why the status update / camera etc. buttons weren't working, but not much point in me fixing since FB turned it off. ;)

P

[Guest Der_Floo]

So it is off?