The core functionality of Twitter has remained the same for many years. Other platforms like Facebook and Instagram have embraced short form video content, and Twitter realised it needs to add a multimedia slant to its stable. Twitter is testing out a new feature of allowing audio tweets on the platform for “a limited group of people.”
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In a blog post, the company has said that the new feature adds a more human touch to the way you use Twitter – using your own voice. They added that this feature was launched because “sometimes 280 characters aren’t enough and some conversational nuances are lost in translation.”
Audio tweets is rolling out to a select few on iOS while it is being tested. If successful it will open up the feature to all iOS users first. No word as of yet about when we can expect the feature to be ported to Android. Once you have the feature, you will see a new waveform icon next to the camera icon when you compose a tweet. Once you’ve hit that, a red record button appears at the bottom of the app which you’ll tap to start recording your audio tweet.
You can Tweet a Tweet. But now you can Tweet your voice!
Rolling out today on iOS, you can now record and Tweet with audio. pic.twitter.com/jezRmh1dkD
— Twitter (@Twitter) June 17, 2020
According to Twitter, initially the audio can only be added to original tweets, and not in replies or retweets with comments. Your profile pic appears as a background of your audio tweet, so whatever pic you are using at the time of recording will remain, even if you change your profile pic. “Your current profile photo will be added as a static image on your audio attachment and will not refresh if you update your profile photo,” Twitter says.
The company has revisited the fabled number of 140, which used to be the character limit for tweets on the platform. Now it is the maximum number of second that your audio tweets can be in length. “Each voice tweet captures up to 140 seconds of audio. Have more to say? Keep talking. Once you reach the time limit for a tweet, a new voice tweet starts automatically to create a thread,” Twitter said.
Twitter has had a lot of drive in recent years to be more vigilant in moderating the content on its platform. From trying to curb the spread of fake news to supressing hateful content, they have come far. Moderating the new audio tweets will add an additional layer to this effort, which will be a massive challenge, no doubt.
Would you use audio tweets in the future? Do you think it is a good feature to have? Let us know in the comments below.
