Twitter Blue Launched In The U.S. And NZ: Everything You Need To Know
Twitter has launched Twitter Blue for iOS and Android in the U.S. and New Zealand. It is a paid version of Twitter that comes with a monthly subscription of U.S.$2.99 and NZ $4.49. The subscription first went live in Australia and Canada and has now expanded to two more countries.
The paid version packs features like reviewing tweets, uploading 10-minute videos, and ad-free news readers distinguish it from regular Twitter. If you get Twitter Blue, you can also customize the app with different icons and themes. You can also customize the navigation bar to your liking with a paid Twitter subscription.
Ad-Free Reading and Twitter Labs
Twitter has partnered with multiple news publishers for Twitter Blue subscribers. The company blog says that part of the subscription fee will go directly to the publishing partner. The platform aims to help news publishers “make 50% more per person than they would’ve made from serving ads to that person.”
This means subscribers will get a no-nonsense, ad-free reading experience. It also means that the publishers associated with Twitter Blue won’t need cookies to set ad preferences for these readers. Seeing how a recent study found news sites track us more than porn sites, this seems like a good model for those who want their privacy.
Twitter Labs is another good Twitter Blue feature. Users will get to see and use new features first, and these features may eventually be added to all of Twitter, become a Twitter Blue feature, or be excluded altogether based on feedback.
While the presence of a dislike button on social media is still under debate, if it ever comes to Twitter, it is likely to be a Twitter Blue feature first.
Should You Get Twitter Blue?
If you’re someone who extensively uses Twitter to get their news updates, and if you want to customize your Twitter feed, this is a good option for you. It is the first time a mainstream social media platform has offered a paid service, which means less clutter and more features.
Also, if you’re interested in what new features might come to the platform, Twitter Labs might be another reason to get Twitter Blue. What do you think about the platform? Should Facebook and others also offer paid social media services? Let us know in the comments.
