Twitter is testing a new profile preview feature to help users read threads easily

tech2 News StaffFeb 14, 2019 18:22:37 IST

Twitter will soon allow users to quickly preview profiles on their devices. The social networking platform via its official handle said that it is testing a new feature, a ‘kind of profile preview’ overlay that is meant to address the problem of following threaded conversations.

Twitter is testing new profile preview overlay on iOS.

While it’s fun to read an interesting conversation on the platform, it becomes all the more difficult and confusing when you join in the middle of a particular active thread. Besides, Twitter doesn’t automatically organise conversations in a way that can be easily ‘dissected.’

But thankfully, this new feature will save you from going through a complex thread, scrolling down a new page of information just to check the replier’s Twitter bio. The Verge in its report mentioned that the new feature will now float a preview of the profile on mobile and users will be able to see a replier’s full bio, follower count and the date when they joined the service. The feature is said to work both within threads and outside in the main feed as well.

We’re testing an easier way to check out profiles on iOS without leaving your timeline! Simply tap any @ handle in a Tweet, take a peek, follow, and get right back to it. Let us know what you think! pic.twitter.com/dIUFxI2r4C

— Twitter (@Twitter) February 13, 2019

Twitter states that they are testing the profile preview feature on iOS which indicates that the feature might initially arrive on iPhone. In case you are included in the test, you can tap on a user’s @ handle in a tweet to throw up a card with their basic details and give you an option to follow or even mute them. The Verge points out that there is an option to jump to the full profile as well.

Twitter claims that the feature will show more about a user without taking you away from your timeline. It’s safety team further elaborated that the reason behind experimenting with these previews is to make it easier for users to figure out who’s involved in a conversation. Although it's not a radical change, at least it will help users gobble up relevant information without losing focus on one particular conversation.

We want you to know who is behind the accounts that appear on your timeline. With this experiment, we’re working to make it easier to learn who is behind an account. It’s also easier to follow or mute an account now. https://t.co/zH41w7pdom

— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 13, 2019

Notably, the announcement about the new feature comes days after a glitch messed up with the Like counts on tweets. Some presumed Twitter was mass suspending accounts on the platform again, while others jumped to conspiracy theories. Twitter didn’t reveal as to why the glitch occurred in the first place, however, the annoying bug has now been fixed.