So our new app is out. And we'd love to start getting some 'in person' user feedback, but we can't.
Facebook Connect (and touch.facebook.com) is broken across all applications and browsers if you are connected using Singtel over 3G or broadband.
To replicate this problem, this is simplest way on any device connected to Singtel's network:
- Using your web browser, sign out of Facebook (the website)
- Connect to touch.facebook.com
- Sign in using your correct username and password
- Get redirected to the login form again with no error message
- Look puzzled
This is showing up as a symptom on new downloads of all iPhone apps. Including ours. We believe this is due to the iOS-facebook SDK utilising touch.facebook.com under the hood to run it's authentication, so if you're just browsing facebook and you're logged into the main site and then you go to touch.facebook.com it works in the browser. This however is not a work around for Facebook Connect.
The reason there isn't much user screaming is that if your app uses facebook connect and is already authorized the app doesn't need to log you into facebook. Also the facebook app itself works.
We've called the call centre, but they assure us it's not a problem. But it is. And we've confirmed the problem with some other iOS friends who cannot finish the app they're building for the red giant, (which uses facebook connect!), until this problem is fixed! Hopefully that will help focus some minds.
Now we realise this is only a local issue and that we have the whole world to aim at, so we're likely going to have to remove the app from the Singapore store until the problem is fixed.
It's just a bit embarrassing that a Singapore-based company can't launch their apps in their own country. So come on Singtel, sort it.
If you want to do something and you have 5 minutes, call customer support on 1688 (mention the touch.facebook.com problem - Annika opened the ticket) and let them know about the problem. You'll be helping us, local developers, the larger startup ecosystem and I suppose yourselves if you value cool applications! Call now.
