Talking about evolution, Jack Dorsey is no stranger. Twitter has now launched a prototype app called Twttr, which will be used to test new Twitter features in a bid to promote a healthy conversation.
The app was rolled out to a small group of users earlier this week. The new app is a way for Twitter to test new, experimental features without having to implement them in its main app.
But how healthy will it be? Well, the new app has buttons for likes, retweets, replies, and shares hidden, until a user taps on an individual tweet. Some replies are also hidden by default under a “Show More” button.
Something you notice on the new app is that engagements are hidden on people’s individual tweets. There’s no favourite icon, no retweet icon, no reply bubble icon and no sharing icon like you’re used to seeing on the Twitter app.
The hiding of likes and retweets may deal a blow to Twitter users engaging in follow for follow activities, normally by following those that like and retweet certain tweets.
Making it hard to see the number and trace the likes and retweets to a given tweet might have been intended to kill the follow for follow activities on Twitter.