Facebook beefs up mobile photo sharing with Camera

IDG News Service - Facebook introduced its own mobile photo app, Camera, on Thursday, bringing richer photo-sharing features to the platform even before the company closes its deal to acquire the popular photo-sharing app Instagram.

Camera will initially be available for Apple iPhones. It includes 15 of the kinds of filters popularized by Instagram, which allow users to give their photos a particular style. Camera also supports cropping and rotating images.

The app makes it possible for users to upload a set of photos, which Facebook's own primary mobile app does not support. Camera users will be prompted to select the photos they want to share before hitting "post." They will then be able to comment about the set, much like they can on a new album created using the desktop version of Facebook.

The company did not use Instagram's technology to build the app, according to a spokesman.

Facebook has recently been trying to provide a richer experience on mobile devices. In its final amended S-1 filing prior to going public last Friday, the company disclosed that its revenue per user was falling as more users shifted from desktop to mobile use. The company does not have a proven revenue model on the mobile platform, it said.

Camera is Facebook's second supplementary mobile app. The other is Messenger, which launched in August 2011.

Cameron Scott covers search, web services and privacy for The IDG News Service. Follow Cameron on Twitter at CScott_IDG.