Latest Beta Of Facebook For Android Allows Home Users To Control Music Apps Directly Via Cover Feed

The latest version of the Facebook for Android beta application includes an intriguing new feature, giving users of its Home Android overlay the ability to control music apps they are using directly via their lock screens.

Facebook described the new feature in a post for the Facebook for Android Beta Testers group, and TechCrunch elaborated further, saying that apps including Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora, and Rdio can be controlled via notifications atop users’ Cover Feeds.

According to TechCrunch, users with Cover Feed activated will see double-tall notifications that feature the album artwork, artists, and songs being played by music apps, and tapping those notifications will enable users to pause songs, or skip to the next or previous tracks.

The social network is likely testing the feature in the hopes that it will encourage mobile users to stay on Facebook by eliminating the need for them to launch their music apps to control what they are listening to.

Other changes in the new beta version of Facebook’s Android app include:

    Some stickers are now animated, including Pusheen, Beast, and Anooki wave, dance, and wiggle.
    A bug that caused album covers to display, instead of photos selected by users, was corrected.
    Viewing photos in full-screen should no longer crash the app.