Since the Facebook Platform launched two years ago, the application directory hasn’t changed significantly. However, this morning, Facebook launched a new version of the application directory more focused on promoting “Verified” applications and those apps friends are using. Altogether, the new app directory focuses a lot more on quality over quantity. Here’s how it looks:

As you can see, the most prominent sections of the application directory are now “Featured by Facebook” and “Applications You May Like.” The “Featured by Facebook” section contains applications that have been hand-picked by the Facebook Platform team, which marks the first time Facebook has taken an editorial role in curating the directory.

The “Applications You May Like” section shows applications that have achieved Verified Application status (meaning they meet Facebook’s requirements for user experience and security) as well as other applications rated highly by users.

Below the “Applications You May Like” section is a new section called “Recent Activity From Friends,” which is essentially a filtered view of the home page stream just for applications. Facebook is using this section to promote whichever applications your friends have used or engaged with recently. Facebook has also reduced the number of application categories from 15 down to 7.

The application directory has become a relatively minor source of new application user traffic over the last couple of years. However, the new app directory is primarily intended to reward the highest quality apps, as opposed to shedding light on the ones that have the most users or growth like the previous version did. That will ruffle the feathers of some developers, but ultimately achieves Facebook’s goal of encouraging the development of applications which fit its user experience goals.