Twitter overhauls iPhone, Android apps to improve content discovery

Twitter is rolling out updated versions of its flagship apps for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, promising users more streamlined access to content.

Both the iPhone and Android apps now present all content in the Discover tab--Tweets, Activity, Trends and suggestions of accounts to follow--in a single stream. The tab also features new Activity and Trends previews. Search results are also presented in a single stream combining a more relevant mix of Tweets, photos and accounts; in addition, Twitter for iPhone adds a new search button (a magnifying glass icon next to the "compose" button) previously integrated into the Android and iPad apps.

Twitter is additionally revamping the Connect tab: Interactions is now the default view, presenting new followers, retweets and mentions. Users who prefer to focus exclusively on mentions can adjust the default settings.

Another change: Smartphone users may now click a URL within a tweet to go directly to that Website from any timeline. In the past, tapping any part of a tweet would expand the post, requiring a second click to access the Website.

Twitter passed the 200 million monthly active user milestone late last year. Research firm comScore reports that 53.6 percent of unique Twitter users access the microblogging platform via mobile.

For more:
- read this Twitter Blog post

Related articles:
Twitter fills Instagram void with in-house photo filters
Twitter triumphs on Election Night
Twitter issues controversial API, gives developers six months to comply
Twitter developers urge FTC to probe new restrictions on third-party apps
Twitter tightens stranglehold on third-party apps, developers revolt