There is a new GIF button that has made an appearance on Twitter mobile app, albeit in the most discrete manner. Analysts have linked the appearance to a likely move on part of Twitter to incorporate GIF in its UI.
That is understandable considering many of Twitter`s competitors including Facebook already offers a dedicated GIF button to its users.
The GIF button, however, isn’t available to all users of the popular microblogging site nor has it officially acknowledged the GIF button which has led many to speculate it being a test feature that Twitter could integrate in future.
A particular user, Phil Pearlman stated he got access to a stream of trending GIFs as well as those based on mood variations once he pushed the GIF button that he was served on his Android mobile device. That is similar to the GIF experience on Facebook though it’s not known with whom Twitter has struck partnerships with for the GIFs.
In any case, Twitter’s GIF moves are being seen as a fresh attempt at developing another money stream in future.
The company recently stated it is monetizing the use of emojis with companies being charged as much as a million dollar for the use of certain icons. In any case, GIFs are also a nice way to add some flavor to the regular tweets which otherwise might look bland at times.
Meanwhile, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has something different to deal with, one that can be equated to an uprising of sorts. In Twitter parlance, that has come to be known as the #RIPTwitter. The particular hashtag is where disgruntled users are taking exception to a likely plan to introduce some major changes to the way Twitter lists it’s tweets have vented their ire, prompting Dorsey to get into the damage control act himself.
The outrage has its origins in the recent rumors that Twitter will be adopting a new method of listing its posts, one that will be based on popularity or relevance – as seen in Facebook – rather than the current method where the latest post gets the top placement.
Dorsey has denied any such move is being planned though he did say there are some drastic changes being mooted to keep interest in the microblogging site going.
“Twitter can help make connections in real-time based on dynamic interests and topics, rather than a static social/friend graph. We get it.”
This can be seen as a more expanded scope for the ‘While you were away’ feature where users will be guided to interesting bits from more sources for the users to look at when they return.
