Twitter Transformation

For all you Twittertastic people out there, I’m sure you’ve noticed some changes to the site (or at least the ability to check the “New Twitter” out). Not only is the layout easier and more comprehensive, but it is infinitely more pleasing both in terms of aesthetics and content. To re-cap the improvements: location integration for statuses and trends, more information about the people you follow, what they’re tweeting, and what kinds of responses they’re getting, the ability to see all your and your friends’ retweets as well as tweets mentioning you in one place, and an overall updated look and feel.

However, why has the Twitter app not received a similar facelift — or is it in the works? I would go so far as to say that some of the updates to the web version are just plain necessary for the app since it is, well, just plain boring. Hopefully, if the changes are well received on the website, we will see some exciting additions to the app as well. I think it would be cool to see the ability to inject locations to your tweets, especially considering that the iPhone is a mobile device, and supplement these with pictures and videos from the various places you visit and tweet from. Similarly, location-based trends would be an essential way to add intrigue to the app. Also, since part of the allure of who is tweeting what are the details behind that tweet (e.g. who the tweeter actually is, who is responding to them and how, and related tweets), it will be necessary for the ability to expand tweets to include the same kinds of information that the web-version now offers. And the tab to see who’s mentioning you — it currently does nothing unless you’ve provided some hot topics, so the app developers should work on creating a tab that encompasses more generally who of your followers and followees are retweeting, who’s mentioning you, and what you’ve retweeted. Also, we can’t forget the Twitter word of the day. It is currently absent from the app, but needs to be a part of it, end of story. Finally, the app’s appearance is pretty drab, so that certainly needs a makeover as well. In essence, everything needs to be addressed and brought up to speed.

Furthermore, some of the third party Twitter apps (such as Echofon Pro for Twitter, TwitBird Pro for Twitter, and Twittelator Pro) implement similar ideas, from location-based tweets, to in-app messaging, to the ability to tweet everything from your voice to what music you’re playing, and superior aesthetics and UIs. Even though these apps tend to be on the pricier side, while the Twitter app itself is free, they provide strict competition, and we can expect to Twitter edged out if the need for improvements isn’t addressed.

Overall, I hope to see at least some of these changes make their way to the Twitter app. There is so much more to tweeting that the actual text, and the mobile developers need to realize that in the same way that the web developers have. Give the iPhone users something Twitterific to chirp about.


Read more: http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/2010/10/15/twitter-transformation/#ixzz12qNGWsnS