Twitter Blue: Twitter Launches Premium Subscription in Canada & Australia

Twitter Launches Twitter Blue: Its First Subscription Service

Today marks the official debut of Twitter’s inaugural subscription offering, Twitter Blue, beginning in Australia and Canada. This subscription grants Twitter users access to exclusive, premium functionalities. These include tools for organizing bookmarks, a streamlined reading experience for threads, and an “Undo Tweet” feature – representing the closest approximation to the frequently requested “Edit” button.

Service Details Uncovered Previously

Prior to this launch, app researcher Jane Manchun Wong had already revealed details about the subscription service. She discovered the service’s name, pricing structure, and feature set through analysis of the mobile app’s code. Confirmation of Wong’s findings also appeared as an in-app purchase option.

Launch Timing and Global Availability

The remaining questions centered on the launch date and the timeline for global rollout. Twitter has indicated it is initiating Twitter Blue in Canada and Australia to assess whether the current features align with user expectations for a more personalized Twitter experience.

Gathering User Feedback for Future Development

The initial rollout also aims to stimulate discussion regarding potential features for future iterations of Twitter Blue. A Twitter spokesperson stated the company will continue to refine pricing and tier options based on user response and data analysis.

Subscription Costs

The subscription will be priced at $3.49 CAD or $4.49 AUD per month in Canada and Australia, respectively.

Key Features of Twitter Blue

Beyond the core functionalities, Twitter Blue offers several additional benefits.

Organized Bookmarks with Folders

The new Bookmark Folders feature allows users to categorize their saved tweets, accessed through Twitter’s existing Bookmarks feature. Introduced in 2018, Bookmarks provide a private method for saving tweets for later review. This is particularly useful for longer content or for saving tweets discreetly.

Users can create subfolders, color-coded for easy identification, and a dedicated button facilitates adding tweets directly from the Bookmarks section.

Reader Mode for Enhanced Thread Viewing

The Reader Mode feature offers a cleaner way to view lengthy Twitter threads. While initially anticipated to be linked to the acquisition of Scroll, a distraction-free reading service, Twitter clarified that Reader Mode was developed independently. It provides a focused reading experience, similar to third-party apps like Thread Reader App.

Subscribers can toggle between Reader Mode and the standard thread view as desired. Future integration of Scroll’s features into Twitter Blue is planned.

Undo Tweet: A Step Towards Tweet Editing

The “Undo Tweet” feature allows users to retract a recently posted tweet, addressing concerns about typos or errors. This is seen as a precursor to a full “Edit” button, which has been a long-standing user request.

Additional Subscriber Benefits

Additional perks include customizable app icons, color themes for the Twitter app, and priority access to subscription-based customer support.

Users can set a customizable timeframe, up to 30 seconds, to “undo” a tweet before it is published. Twitter previously indicated this feature was its preferred approach to addressing the demand for an Edit button, due to concerns about potential misuse.

Impact on the Free Twitter Experience

Twitter emphasized that the launch of Twitter Blue will not impact the functionality of the free version of the platform. The subscription is intended to enhance the existing experience with additional features.

Future Rollout and Expansion Plans

The timeline for expanding Twitter Blue to the U.S. and other markets remains uncertain. Twitter’s rollout of Fleets provides a potential precedent, taking several months to reach all global users.

Diversifying Revenue Streams

The subscription service is a key component of Twitter’s strategy to reduce its reliance on advertising revenue. The company is also exploring other monetization options, such as tools for creators and the upcoming Super Follow subscription.

Twitter has set a goal to double its annual revenue to $7.5 billion or more by 2023, driven in part by these new initiatives.

Initial Availability

Twitter Blue is currently available on iOS devices in Canada and Australia. Users are encouraged to share their feedback with @TwitterBlue.