Classifieds site Gumtree South Africa has partnered with Facebook to try out its account kit tool that lets users sign in to apps without passwords.
The account kit feature was introduced at the company's annual F8 developer conference in San Francisco this week.
It allows app users to log in to apps more easily, with just an e-mail or phone number.
The software is built into the app which gives users the option of logging in via Facebook or with a phone number. Clicking on the phone number option prompts an SMS with a code which gives the user access without a Facebook account or a password.
The tool was trialled for both the Gumtree app and Web site - it is now available on Website.
Johan Nel, country manager for Gumtree SA, says the classified site's California-based dev team has been working hard with Facebook to bring this service on-stream.
"We put great emphasis on simplifying trading on Gumtree.co.za and we believe this new technology will do just that".
Facebook expects the username/password sign-up option to remain the prime route into apps but believes Account Kit will prove extremely popular.
Indian music streaming service Saavn saw over half a million registered phone number users and a 33% increase in daily new registrants within the first two months after integrating Account Kit phone number login.
Twitter has also introduced a product for developers called Digits which will let users log into apps with a phone number.
Gumtree was not the only company in Africa Facebook partnered with in its beta testing programme at the F8 conference.
The social network also included Afrinolly (Entertainment, Nigeria), Classifieds (SA) vZikoko (Nigeria), Jobberman (Nigeria/Ghana), The Net (Nigeria) and My Music (Nigeria).
"We believe that local entrepreneurs and developers will be the ones to meet the needs of their immediate community, and we are working with developers to know how we can support them in doing so," says Emeka Afigbo, Strategic Product Partnerships Manager at Facebook in a statement.
"We are listening to our developer partners in Africa, and the strong showing for F8 is a reflection of our commitment to doing more with our partners across the continent to help them build products and businesses."
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