Twitter Redesign: Spaces Now Center Tab on Mobile App

Twitter Elevates Spaces with Dedicated Navigation Tab

A significant update is being implemented to the Twitter application, positioning the Twitter Spaces audio chat room feature as a core component of the user experience. The company is initiating a rollout, beginning with a select group of users, of a dedicated tab for Twitter Spaces within the mobile app’s primary navigation bar, initially on iOS platforms.

Navigation Bar Changes

The Twitter Spaces feature will occupy the central position in the navigation bar, situated between the Search icon and the Notifications bell. This addition expands the navigation bar to accommodate five icons, rather than the previous four, without displacing any existing functions.

Initial access is limited; approximately 500 participants from the original Spaces beta program will be the first to experience the new “Spaces discovery tab” as it launches today.

Enhanced Spaces Discovery

The new tab will curate Spaces hosted by accounts users already follow. However, the presentation will differ from the current Fleet line display. Instead, Spaces will be showcased in a visually richer format, resembling the promotional cards used for upcoming Spaces events.

Twitter acknowledges that discovering and tracking live events within Spaces has proven challenging due to the lack of a centralized discovery location. This new tab is designed to address this issue.

Tab Functionality

Within the tab, users will find detailed information about active Spaces, including Space titles, hosts, and participants from their network. Reminders for scheduled Spaces will also be available, ensuring users are notified before events begin. Furthermore, the tab will facilitate user feedback regarding preferred Spaces content.

Plans for this navigation bar integration were previously revealed by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong last month.

Host Eligibility and Future Plans

Currently, the ability to host Spaces is restricted to Twitter users with a minimum of 600 followers. This requirement remains unchanged with the introduction of the new tab. However, Twitter has ambitious plans for the future of Spaces, encompassing scheduled events, ticketed access, collaborative hosting options, and accessibility enhancements.

A Strategic Move in the Social Audio Landscape

The prominent placement of Spaces within the navigation bar signifies a substantial investment in Twitter’s audio chat rooms. This move aims to increase visibility for a feature that might otherwise be overlooked by users not actively seeking a Clubhouse alternative.

This development coincides with Clubhouse’s own expansion efforts, including the recent addition of 2 million users following its Android app launch.

Twitter has not yet disclosed the total number of users who have engaged with Spaces, either as hosts or listeners.

Additional Feature: Purple Ring Indicator

Alongside the new tab, Twitter is also rolling out a feature that displays a purple ring around profile pictures in the Home Timeline. This visual cue indicates when a user is actively participating in a Space. Tapping the profile picture allows users to instantly join the ongoing conversation.

This feature streamlines the process of discovering and joining Spaces while browsing the regular Twitter Timeline.

Following testing with the initial beta group, the new Spaces tab will be progressively released to a wider audience, according to Twitter.