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Back in the skeuomorphism era, Twitter offered an awesome and innovative iPad app (version 4.x) that had a UX design based on three overlapping layers with navi

Back in the skeuomorphism era, Twitter offered an awesome and innovative iPad app (version 4.x) that had a UX design based on three overlapping layers with navigation tabs on the side. One could effortlessly switch between your own timeline, another user's timeline and a series of tweet threads. With the amount of visual elments on screen it was very information dense and easy to follow. I had just bought a retina Gen3 iPad and instantly fell in love with the experience. The next major version update was a huge disappointment as they decided to take away all the good and unique things out of the app and make it just another clone of their mobile web interface which just looked barren on the iPad screen. Fortunately I had a backup of the old version which I was able to restore but still had a sour taste in my mouth knowing this version might stop working any day from then. I did try other 3rd party clients but none was as good as the good old official one. The same design was copied by Weibo for their iPad app which held out a bit longer but eventually it went the same way Twitter had.

exporectomy 5y ago
What's best for the 7 billion is bound to be different to what's best for a few power users. It makes sense for them to be different apps, perhaps provided by 3rd parties if Twitter won't do them all. I find these "7 billion" apps are often effortlessly smooth for basic tasks that I don't want to spend mental effort on. They seem to know what I want to do and make that just about the only option.
- gtyras2mrs 5y ago
  The problem I find is that when apps are created for the common-denominator, they alienate the power users that usually create the content that the rest consume. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture) The Twitter app for example, is perfectly ok for me as a lurker/consumer -- but is most often criticised by the people who i follow (and who are active tweeters)
  - exporectomy 5y ago
    But you can just use the another one if you're in that special minority, can't you? I've heard of Tweetdeck being a Twitter application used by content creator type Twitter users.
kall 5y ago
I believe the iPad app was so damn good because it was an app called Tweetie that they bought. That was a real shame when it went away in favor of the lowest common denominator.
Spooky23 5y ago
I blame the self-anointed “designers” who watch a few YouTube videos and declare themselves experts. Everyone is focused on the journey of the 80% user.

exporectomy 5y ago

What's best for the 7 billion is bound to be different to what's best for a few power users. It makes sense for them to be different apps, perhaps provided by 3rd parties if Twitter won't do them all. I find these "7 billion" apps are often effortlessly smooth for basic tasks that I don't want to spend mental effort on. They seem to know what I want to do and make that just about the only option.

gtyras2mrs 5y ago
The problem I find is that when apps are created for the common-denominator, they alienate the power users that usually create the content that the rest consume. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture) The Twitter app for example, is perfectly ok for me as a lurker/consumer -- but is most often criticised by the people who i follow (and who are active tweeters)
- exporectomy 5y ago
  But you can just use the another one if you're in that special minority, can't you? I've heard of Tweetdeck being a Twitter application used by content creator type Twitter users.

kall 5y ago

I believe the iPad app was so damn good because it was an app called Tweetie that they bought. That was a real shame when it went away in favor of the lowest common denominator.

Spooky23 5y ago

I blame the self-anointed “designers” who watch a few YouTube videos and declare themselves experts. Everyone is focused on the journey of the 80% user.