Twitter for Windows Phone finally gets Modern UI, Live Tile support

Twitter for Windows Phone has just received a major update that revamps the look and feel of the app. The app not just looks like it was born in the sleek Modern UI that Windows Phone uses, but it also supports live tiles features with this new update.

The new interface of the app still keeps the four-column look intact, carrying it forward from Twitter’s own apps from iOS, Android and BlackBerry 10 platforms. You can now swipe between Home, Mentions and Discover columns in addition to clicking on those extra-large icons on top.

Twitter for Windows Phone with this refresh actually looks like it belongs to the Windows platform as compared to the previous version that was slightly under-designed compared to the micro-blogging site’s app for other platforms. That is not talking much about how the app previously looked, as one would say Twitter for iOS and Android and BlackBerry are not quite the best apps to tweet with. In fact, a lot of people prefer using third party apps to send out tweets on their smartphones.

The spanking new Twitter for Windows Phone

Twitter users who own a Windows Phone 7 and up are in for a delight though, because the company has pulled all plugs while trying to upgrade the experience on the platform. The social networking biggie is designing a desktop app for Windows too, but its release is not expected anytime soon.

The Windows Phone version of Twitter now allows for lock screen and custom live tile feature that shows up notifications. You can even pin your favourite lists and profiles on to the start screen for faster access now.

A universal tweet button has found its way to the Windows Phone app too, using which you can send out tweets from wherever you are in the app.

This app update has been a long time coming, considering how Twitter had not made optimum use of the platform to build a performance oriented app. The new release has already delighted users who have been raving about it in the Windows Store comments section. “New updates are just what I was waiting for! Better integration, push notifications, able to load more tweets in-between syncs. Great improvements,” wrote a user named Bill.

Last week, Whatsapp too released an update for its app that soothed a lot of user complaints. The update brought along quite a few handy features Windows Phone users were glad to find considering how shaky the app has been on the platform in the past, and brought the application almost at par with its iOS and Android counterparts.

The app now allows users to hit “Enter” to send messages, has a revamped attachment screen and has the ability to send out broadcast messages. More importantly, the UI is now looking slightly better suited to Windows Phone.

Developers are finally waking up to the fact that they cannot compromise with the quality of Windows Phone apps as the platform is growing up to be one of the most widely used ones. Lack of apps as far as numbers and sheer quality is concerned has been a major problem for the Windows Phone platform, which is being fast addressed. Let’s hope for better periodic updates to apps on the platform that bring it to the level of the Android and iOS.

Download Twitter for Windows Phone here.