Tech
Twitter finally has a decent Windows app
IMAGE: TWITTER
Microsoft users upgrading to Windows 10 will get an extra bonus: a Twitter app that doesn't suck.
Twitter rolled out a new universal Windows app Wednesday that finally brings the Twitter experience on Windows up to the same level as its apps on other platforms.
Other than the addition of a Twitter Live Tile, most of the updates already exist within Twitter's website and its other apps. The new Windows app finally adds support for multiple photos in tweets and the ability to watch GIFs, Vines and other videos from your timeline. It also adds photo support to direct messages, a feature the company added to its iOS app in 2013.
The update makes Twitter one of the first third parties to make a universal Windows appavailable. This means the app will run across all Windows 10 devices, including tablets, phones and, eventually, the Xbox One and HoloLens. The fact that Twitter is embracing a universal app so quickly is a good sign for Microsoft as it is still unclear how many developers will invest in optimizing their apps for Microsoft's new platform.
On Twitter's part, the company is likely hoping the new touch-friendly Windows app will help attract new users as user growth comes under increasing scrutiny. The app also features Twitter's new experience for logged out users. Those who aren't logged in to their Twitter account are still able to see a homepage that surfaces recent tweets from popular accounts.
Twitter says it will continue to update the Windows app "in the coming days and months" so the days of waiting months for even small improvements are hopefully over.
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