Soon, Twitter will get a handy new feature: Details here
Twitter is on track to receive a handy new capability, a feature that would let you keep tabs on conversations you're interested in. The feature, dubbed 'Subscribe to conversation', will let you sign up for updates on a particular conversation without actually liking or commenting on it. It will make the whole conversational experience more seamless on the microblogging platform. Here are the details.
How the new feature would work
Just recently, reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong reported Twitter has started testing 'Subscribe to conversation'. The feature, as Wong's screenshots indicated, would come in the form of a 'bell' icon on the upper right corner of a tweet view, similar to that on YouTube. Clicking on the icon would let users indicate they want to receive notifications about new tweets in that conversation.
Here's what the bell icon would look like
This will save you from the trouble of joining conversations
The feature, although not available for everyone at present, would make it easier for users to get updates on an open debate without actually joining the conversation. Previously, users had to comment on a thread/like a tweet - show their direct interest - to get notifications about new tweets being added into it.
Feature confirmed but being tested internally
Wong, who has been discovering interesting features lately, told TechCrunch that this capability was found as a user interface prototype within the Android version of the Twitter app. Twitter also confirmed the development in a statement noting that "this is part of our work to make Twitter more conversational." However, the company didn't provide specific details, including when it might be launched for everyone.
Notably, this isn't the only capability Twitter is working on
The internally-tested subscription feature marks another major capability for the microblogging platform. Recently, it was reported that Twitter has a prototype app called Twttr for testing new features like color-enhanced replies to make conversations more engaging. The platform was also reported to be testing a 'hide tweet' button aimed at moderating comments and making conversations healthier. Clearly, conversations are Twitter's top priority right now.
