A new emphasis on profile pages will allow people to upload a header photo that will run across the top of the screen. The banner-like image is reminiscent of Facebook’s cover photos on its timeline.
A person’s avatar will also be a prime focus as it gets moved from the left hand corner to front and centre of the page.
“New profiles also help you get to know people better through their pictures,” Twitter released in an online statement Tuesday.
A revamped photo stream will appear below a person’s most recent Tweets on iPhone, Android and iPad. “Swipe through the stream to see the photos other users have shared or tap any thumbnail to view their photos in full screen,” Twitter says in a statement on its blog.
The Twitter profile page of TV celebrity Ryan Seacrest taken on Sept 18 2012. This image shows the features of Twitter’s new look.
The new launch focused on updating and changing Twitter’s mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. The changes seen on Twitter.com profiles will also be included in the app releases. Any images uploaded to the site will appear the same across all platforms – phone, tablet or computer.
The iPad app was one of the biggest changes as it has been rebuilt “from the ground up to make it fast, beautiful and easy to use.”
Twitter said the iPad app will allow tweets to “come alive” as they are expanded to reveal photos, videos and web page summaries with a single click. For Android users, the special pinch-to-zoom feature will allow them to get more interactive.
“Twitter is slowly changing its look, feel and functionality, which makes it look more like Facebook than the older, simpler Twitter,” said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy. “Twitter is smart to explore increasing levels of engagement because it has the capability to pull people from Facebook to Twitter.”
Moorhead also said the redesign makes the site more appealing.
“Twitter’s new look is more personal and engaging, but also more complicated,” he added. “The picture capability makes the site look more like a destination than any time before it with more things to see, click on and more decisions to make.”
Twitter users can choose to make the switch to the new profile starting Tuesday by uploading a header in the design tab of their account settings, communication team member Robert Weeks said.
Source: CTV News
