Facebook's App Center Open for Business

The App Center Facebook announced last month is open for business. The phased rollout will ultimately give all its US users access to 600 apps, like Pinterest and Draw Something, reports TechCrunch. Unlike Apple's App Store and Google Play, though, Facebook's App Center is more of a discovery hub, taking users to Apple or Google or elsewhere to download the apps. And, of course, Facebook's App Center puts the emphasis on sharing, recommending apps based on what your friends are using. Some early reaction:

• "In a sense, it’s a defining moment in the world of apps," writes Mike Isaac at All Things D. "Unlike the Google Play app repository or Apple's App Store, Facebook’s App Center relies in part on social discovery. And it’s in line with Facebook’s overall philosophy: Everything should be social."
• While noting the App Center should spur Facebook users to spend more time using the social network, "the focus on mobile apps is likely to attract criticism from those who see them as harmful to the future of the open web," notes Josh Halliday for the Guardian.
• "Conceptually, App Center seems like a winner to me," writes Jaymar Cabebe at CNet. "I found its recommendations helpful and the Friends' apps list very interesting, to say the least. On the other hand, the interface still has some kinks to work out, especially on mobile devices."

(More Facebook stories.)