Fenix is one of the top Twitter clients to run on Android, but with the app recently topped Twitter's token limit and it seems like we will not see it around for long.
During the weekend, users who wanted to install Fenix for the first time were met with an "unable to authenticate" message. When they asked about the problem, they got the ill news that the token limit for the app had been reached, and a refund was in store for them.
A note on what Twitter's token limit is: The social media ecosystem decided that third-party coders who create tweeting apps should have a cap at 100,000 users. The limitation was installed in spite of the fact that the apps were expanding Twitter's user base on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, starting from yesterday, Fenix cannot be used by any more new users (due to the infamous Twitter tokens limitation).
- Fenix (@fenix_app) April 25, 2016
Simply put, a token resembles a unique identification number that gets attached to a user's Twitter account. This means that each third-party app that enables tweeting can holster a maximum of 100,000 users on its platform. Adding new users becomes impossible after the number is reached.
With no future growth, this is usually the point where the tech industry begins a eulogy for the app in question. Last year, rumors indicated that Twitter was pondering upon tweaking its token limit, but the sad reality is that the limit remained in place. In the aftermath of Twitter's turmoil in the stock market last year, attracting more active users seemed like a good idea. Or so it seems to everyone but the social network.
Fenix was highly commended, with some going as far as calling it the "best paid and ad-free alternative" to the proprietary app from Twitter. Apple fans do have a few alternatives to the official Twitter app, however. Tweetbot, for example, was praised by some as being even better than the original app.
For Android users looking to try out Fenix, things don't look too peachy. New users are now unable to purchase the app, and new accounts are off limits. The good news is that those who signed into the app at least once with their Twitter account will be able to do it again.
The app was removed from the Play Store, but if you did install it some time ago, simply go to the "My apps & games" section of the Play Store and you should find it there. Check out below the official announcement and behold the irony.
The app has been removed from the Play Store, but current users can continue to use it with no issues. - Fenix (@fenix_app) April 25, 2016
