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Apple forges Facebook deal for new operating system

Apple has teamed up with Facebook to integrate the social network directly into its iPhone and iPad devices, as it wages cold war on Google.

Operating system iOS6 was debuted at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco yesterday. It will allow users to post photos, maps, locations and links to Facebook directly from their devices.

Meanwhile, Apple also revealed its new map service, rivalling Google Maps. The Google service which is currently used by Apple devices will be ditched in the new operating system.

Apple’s new map service will feature navigation guides with spoken directions and a ‘flyover’ mode that produces realistic interactive 3D photo views of locations.

Through the Facebook integration, users will be able to schedule Facebook events to their calendar, receive automatic updates on what their friends are doing and use voice recognition tool Siri to update their status. Facebook’s ‘Like’ feature will also be available in the Apple App store and users will be able to see recommendations from friends.

This deal with Facebook comes shortly after Apple chief executive Tim Cook talking at the All Things Digital D conference in May said that the company’s own social network, Ping, was not something it was going to put much energy in to.

The new version of iOS will be available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices this autumn.

Also at WWDC, Apple unveiled its new much anticipated $2,199 15 inch MacBook Pro which integrates the retina display pioneered by the iPad 3.

David Hing, London