Twitter is making some retweets look more like replies

Twitter is rolling out a new test that might change the way users interact with tweets.

A few years ago, Twitter added the quote tweet feature (now known as retweet with comment.) This would allow a user to attach a comment to a tweet while amplifying it to their own social network. Typically, a quote tweet would appear in a box under the reply, bit twitter sees to be changing how that works.

As part of a series of tests to make Twitter more conversational, the firm is using a similar UI for replies and quote tweets, rolling out this new test to iOS and Android.

Interesting change pic.twitter.com/FDnCAdjxMa

— ?ia Masna (@amasna) February 20, 2019

As shown in the image above, instead of the box below the comment, the original tweet now resembles a response to the comment instead of the other way round. Arguably, it achieves the firm’s goal of making it more conversational. Unfortunately, this interface change does mean that some usability s sacrificed as it does obfuscate the actual flow of the conversation.

As this is a test, Twitter isn’t 100% guaranteed to roll it out but may implement a similar change with a more differentiating UI than how it is currently implemented if it does go on to make a change.

“We’re working on updates to Retweet with Comment as part of our efforts to make Twitter more conversational,” a spokesperson for Twitter told TechCrunch this week.

Via: TechCrunch