Scroll to Shut Down, Features Coming to Twitter Blue
Scroll Reading Service to Be Integrated into Twitter Blue
The distraction-free reading platform, Scroll, is scheduled to cease operations as a standalone service within the next 30 days. This development follows its acquisition by Twitter in May, as confirmed by Twitter in a communication to TechCrunch.
Transition to Twitter Blue
Twitter intends to incorporate the functionality of Scroll directly into its Twitter Blue subscription service. Following the shutdown of the independent Scroll platform, users will access its features as “Ad-Free Articles” within Twitter Blue.
Current Scroll subscribers have been informed that continuing their access to fast-loading, ad-free articles, while simultaneously supporting journalism, will be possible through a subscription to Twitter Blue when it becomes available.
How Scroll Currently Works
Scroll currently provides subscribers with an ad-free browsing experience across a wide range of websites. These include prominent news sources such as USA Today, Buzzfeed News, The Atlantic, and The Verge, all for a monthly fee of $5.
The service functions similarly to a reader view, effectively removing advertisements, trackers, and other extraneous website elements. This allows readers to concentrate solely on the article content.
A portion of each monthly subscription payment is allocated to financially support the content creators and publishers whose work subscribers consume.
Integration Process and Current Subscriber Status
After the acquisition announcement, Scroll ceased accepting new subscriptions and transitioned into a private beta phase. This was done to facilitate the integration of its technology into the Twitter platform.
The timeline for the service’s availability within Twitter Blue, and the specifics of a potential transition for existing subscribers, remain unclear. Further details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Supporting Publishers and Writers
Twitter has stated that a portion of the revenue generated from Scroll subscriptions through Twitter will be directed towards supporting publishers and the writers who produce the content.
The integration will also allow premium subscribers to utilize Scroll for reading articles from news outlets and content from Twitter’s own newsletter platform, Revue, which was also recently acquired and integrated.
Twitter Blue Availability and Features
Currently, Twitter Blue is only accessible to users in Canada and Australia. The subscription unlocks a variety of premium features.
- Tools for organizing bookmarks
- An “Undo Tweet” function
The “Undo Tweet” feature is often considered the closest alternative to the frequently requested “edit” button. Twitter also offers a separate reader mode feature within Twitter Blue, though this is distinct from the planned integration of Scroll.
The existing reader mode is more akin to third-party applications like Thread Reader, rather than the comprehensive experience offered by Scroll.
Subscription Costs
In Canada and Australia, a Twitter Blue subscription currently costs $3.49 CAD or $4.49 AUD, respectively. Whether the price of Twitter Blue will be adjusted following the integration of Scroll remains unknown.
