My Galaxy S4, now running Android 5.0.1 won't display pictures for most contacts, why?

[AC Question]

My Galaxy S4, now running Android 5.0.1 won't display pictures for most contacts

I recently got a Galaxy S4, it updated to Android 5.0.1 and now is unable to display profile pix from Facebook on my contact list. It will ONLY do this for Google+ and a few other networks that nobody uses at all. Out of my 600 or so contacts, probably 450 use Facebook and maybe 20 use G+. What gives?? This sucks, especially as without my reading glasses i am more likely to recognize their image when they call than read their names.

I cannot find the option to add Facebook as a source of images anywhere, and in the earlier versions of Android I used this was a one click no brainer option. It always irks me when a useful option is capriciously removed or disabled from an OS (as appears to be the case here), and a useless one is made the default (NOBODY uses G+, it is a moribund social network, the only reason people have a profile is because Android devices require it, as they require a gmail address).

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: My Galaxy S4, now running Android 5.0.1 won't display pictures for most contacts

Welcome to Android Central! Facebook made a recent change to their API that took away contact syncing, which I believe includes contact profile pics.

I use G+, and enjoy it. Its main strength is in finding interest communities. I get lots of good tech news that way.

 

[dennis westler]

I don't know if that makes any sense. Nobody else I know with a Galaxy device seems to be having the same issue, nor does it make any sense from a business standpoint given the enormous number of Facebook users who also use Facebook, and vice-versa. I believe it is an issue with Android, especially since the phone updated to 5.0.1 in two stages, and between the first and second, contacts were still syncing. After the second, all contact images were lost, as was the ability to add Facebook as a contact account. It still links with my Facebook calendar and images.

And though you might find G+ useful, of my contacts, only 3 friends/family ever use it. The others only have accounts only because Android OS's essentially force one to. They have neither images nor information on their profiles. So contact linking is pointless. I have mostly athletic and horticultural interests, few interests in tech groups. Honestly, G+ is a failed social network, like my space or friendster. Favoring it over Facebook is beating a dead horse. It's not going anywhere.

 

[B. Diddy]

This is where I got the information from: https://m.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=1028796497164750.

I'm in the same boat with G+--I've been largely unsuccessful with trying to get any current friends who are on Facebook to switch. A lot of has to do with the fact that G+ was late to the game. It's a shame, because a lot of the junk that Facebook throws my way gets really annoying (although it's better with the FB Purity Chrome extension that gives you a lot of control over the feed), while G+'s feed is much cleaner. I would still disagree about G+ not going anywhere--people have been sounding its death knell for a few years, and it's still chugging along pretty solidly.

 

[dennis westler]

Thank you! That link was quite helpful (I filed a complaint). I wouldn't say G+ is chugging along quite nicely, as there seems no real growth in usage over time. Most enroll simply because one has to in order to really use an Android device properly, or because usage of other Google services suggests it. but other things i have read suggest that only 35% of those enrolled are active users, and the average time spenmt per month on G+ is only 3-5 minutes per month, as opposed to 7-8 hours per month for Facebook. A huge difference.

Anyway, thanks again. People willing to share their expertise give a HUGE gift to others!