Twitter Blue Launches in US & New Zealand - New Features

Twitter Blue Expands to the U.S. and New Zealand with Enhanced Features

Today marks the launch of Twitter Blue, Twitter’s premium subscription service, in both the United States and New Zealand. This rollout introduces a broadened range of features designed to cater to the platform’s most active users. The service is accessible across iOS, Android, and web platforms, priced at $2.99 monthly (or $4.49 NZD).

Initial Launch and Feature Set

Twitter Blue initially debuted earlier this year in Canada and Australia. Subscribers were provided with tools for organizing bookmarks, experiencing Twitter threads in a streamlined format, and swiftly correcting errors in tweets prior to posting. The expanded launch builds upon this foundation.

Early Access and Ad-Free News

With the wider availability, Twitter Blue now grants subscribers early access to upcoming features through Twitter Labs. Furthermore, it delivers ad-free news articles sourced from hundreds of publishers, a benefit stemming from Twitter’s acquisition of Scroll earlier this year.

Revival of Nuzzel as “Top Articles”

Twitter is also reintroducing Scroll’s news aggregator, Nuzzel, as a new feature called “Top Articles.”

Nuzzel previously enjoyed a dedicated following, with users expressing disappointment when Twitter discontinued the service following its purchase of Scroll. The original service functioned as a curation layer for Twitter, highlighting content being read and shared by a user’s network. This offered a more tailored approach to discovering trending topics compared to simply browsing Twitter’s general trends.

Top Articles: Shared Content in Your Network

Twitter confirms that this functionality will be available to Twitter Blue subscribers as “Top Articles.” This feature will enable users to view the most frequently shared articles within their network over the preceding 24 hours.

Standard Twitter Blue Offerings

This addition complements existing Twitter Blue features, including:

• The ability to categorize saved tweets (“Bookmarks”) into folders for improved organization.
• Customization options for Twitter’s theme and app icon.
• A distraction-free reading experience for lengthy Twitter threads with a single tap.

The “Undo Tweet” Feature

Twitter Blue also provides subscribers with an alternative to a full “edit” button – an “Undo Tweet” function. This allows users to rectify typos before a tweet is fully published, though it does not permit edits to already-posted tweets.

Subscribers also benefit from personalization options, including theming, custom icons, and the ability to customize the app’s bottom navigation with preferred destinations like Twitter Spaces, Bookmarks, Top Articles, Lists, and Monetization options.

Access to Twitter Labs

Twitter Blue subscribers gain access to Twitter Labs, where the platform initially tests new features. Currently, this includes the ability to upload longer, 10-minute videos from the web (compared to the 2-minute limit for non-subscribers) and the option to pin important Direct Message (DM) conversations to the top of the inbox.

Ad-Free News Reading Experience

A key feature is the ability to read news articles shared on Twitter without advertisements. This is powered by the Scroll acquisition, offering a fast-loading, ad-free experience to subscribers who click links on the platform. Participating publishers include The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, Rolling Stone, and many others.

Publisher Revenue Model

When Twitter Blue members access news links, the publisher directly serves the ad-free reading experience. Twitter currently has 300 U.S.-based sites integrated, with plans to add more in the future.

Comparison to Other Platforms

Similar ad-free reading experiences have been offered by other tech companies, such as Facebook’s Instant Articles and Google’s AMP. However, these initiatives have faced criticism regarding publisher control and monetization.

Supporting Journalism

Twitter emphasizes that its news reading feature aims to support publishers, with a portion of Twitter Blue subscriptions being distributed directly to participating sites. The app will provide a transparency chart showing subscribers which sites have received payments and the amounts earned.

Twitter’s goal is to provide publishers with 50% more revenue per user compared to traditional ad-based models. This initiative seeks to foster a thriving journalism ecosystem alongside a better internet experience for subscribers.

Limitations and Considerations

While promising, the micro-payments may not fully replace the revenue generated from direct website visits, where publishers can offer a wider range of promotions and subscriptions. Additionally, Twitter Blue readers may not engage with sites in the same way as typical web visitors.

Regional Availability and Feature Variations

Twitter notes that certain features may vary based on market and platform at launch. For example, “Top Articles” is currently available on Android and desktop, while personalization features are iOS-exclusive.

Currently, Twitter Blue is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with plans for future expansion to other markets.