Twitter has officially gutted its desktop client for Mac, saying it's instead going to focus on providing "a great Twitter experience" that's consistent across all platforms.
The move doesn't come as much of a surprise considering how the app has received plenty of criticism for being clunky.
Plus, Twitter's support for the client has been erratic at best, having rolled out just a few updates, if ever. It has now pulled the app from the web and Apple's Mac App Store, with support ending in 30 days.
Twitter Pushes Mac Users To Use Web Version
"We're focusing our efforts on a great Twitter experience that's consistent across platforms," the Twitter Support account said. "So, starting today the Twitter for Mac app will no longer be available for download, and in 30 days will no longer be supported."
There really isn't any recourse for now, and Twitter is even endorsing that Mac users access the web version for now. That being said, there's no hint suggesting Twitter will release a more improved replacement in the future. It seems like it's fully given up on maintaining a native desktop client for Mac.
Does The Twitter For Mac Suck?
Again, it's no surprise. The app had an average user rating of 1.7 out of 5, which is an embarrassing score considering that it's a first-party app. That number also serves as an accurate approximation of users' attitude toward the client, which has never seemed as robust and smooth as third-party Twitter clients such as Tweetbot, Hootsuite, or TweetDeck.
Twitter repeatedly failed to keep its Mac desktop client up to date with latest features, taking it over seven months to port Moments, curated stories showcasing the very best of what's happening on Twitter. It makes sense that the app kind of sucked, though — Twitter didn't actually develop it in-house, it hired a third-party digital studio to the job.
It's easy to imagine that not many people, if any, will miss the Twitter desktop client for Mac, considering how clunky and lacking in features it's been. Perhaps using the web version or the mobile app would best serve users moving forward. That said, using Twitter on the web doesn't always prove to be the best experience for some users, as it could get cumbersome, too.
Are you a Mac user? What did you think of the Twitter for Mac app? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
