The question on many minds here in Silicon Valley and elsewhere is where San Francisco-based micro-blogging site Twitter is heading. A new redesign has many observers questioning if the site is heading too closely to a Facebook-style interface that has many users frustrated that the 140 character blogging site is losing its overall quickness and appeal.
The new redesign, Twitter says, will help users have real-time updates and notifications on the site, a goal the company has long aimed for, but until recently had not rolled out any updates to meet that requirement. However, online, there is an overall sense of uncertainty over the new layout, which many say is eerily similar to a Facebook-styled site that users appear not to want at the present moment.
While the 140 character model has been well received in recent years, especially after its roll in delivering updated information in near real-time for users during conflict events, including the much praised use during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011. Still, the new interface has a focus on video and images rather than words, which has threatened the base of Twitter users who have long preferred the character-driven site as opposed to Facebook, where video and images are paramount.
Users are now able to have a live feed of only those they follow that they want to have their live updates on their own feed and sent directly to their page. It is an innovative way to allow for better access to the information users want, but it also has its drawbacks and many online have questioned whether the new interface will change anything of substance for longtime users.
While it is easy to talk about the connections between the new look and Facebook, it also must be pointed out that the creation of hashtags has also gone to Facebook, where users are now able to search for content based on those tags. Likewise, while the new look Twitter will have a more "Facebook-like" feel it will retain its 140 character limit for postings and will maintain its content first model with supporting applications.
For now, at least, the trend toward images and video remains a focus of Twitter, but it is not ready to say bye-bye to its traditional word first content pages where users are able to push out ideas, content and links through the now popular hashtags.
