FB increases photo size, follows Google+

Since the arrival of Google+ and the emergence of photo-centric social networks such as Pinterest and Instagram, Facebook has been rapidly revising its approach to photos.

Since the arrival of Google+ and the emergence of photo-centric social networks such as Pinterest and Instagram, Facebook has been rapidly revising its approach to photos.

Small thumbnail photos that you had to click on to enlarge are now being replaced by higher resolution images that fill the screen - a change that also reflects the rising importance of smartphone photography among Facebook's some 900 million users.

From Tuesday Facebook's mobile users will now see fullscreen posts and photos that are up to three times larger on their device.

In a short statement Facebook revealed that "we're rolling out an improved design for posts in news feed on your mobile phone. Now photos are up to 3x larger, and all posts will fill your mobile screen from edge to edge."

The change comes just days after Google updated its Google+ app for iOS users. The latest iteration of Google+ for iOS switches the focus from text-based content to the photos and images contained within a user's posts.

Facebook's larger image design is available for mobile users on iOS, Android and m.facebook.com from Tuesday, May 15.