Twitter just announced the launch of its Twitter Blue product, a new subscription service with extra perks for avid users that is rolling out today in Australia and Canada ahead of a wider launch.
A paid subscription level for Twitter has been in the works for many months, with the company confirming that this was happening last July. Last month, app sleuth Jane Manchun Wong posted a few details, including the name Twitter Blue, in a tweet. And now the company fully fleshes out the details of the new service, which will start at $3.49 CAD and $4.49 AUD per month — and it's expected to cost $2.99 USD when it launches here.
There's still no edit button for tweets (sigh), but paid users who tend to feel regret after tweeting will have the ability to set up a timer of up to 30 seconds in which they can "Undo Tweet", canceling whatever they said before it goes live to the world. And, as The Verge reports, other features include a much asked-for Bookmark Folders feature, that allows users to more easily reference tweets they've bookmarked; and Reader Mode, which takes threads and turns the text into easy-to-read paragraph format without character-limit cutoffs — just like normal, old-timey media! Paragraphs!
Customer support, particularly around safety complaints, has been a major issue for Twitter for the last decade, with many users saying that harassment and hate get little attention unless they are called out by a celebrity user. With Twitter Blue, the company is now promising "dedicated subscription customer support" and escalated handling of support tickets. We'll see how that pans out IRL.
There are a couple of other perks for your ~$3 a month, but they're aesthetic — some new background and themes, and customizable icons.
Twitter continues to trail other major platforms in terms of its user base, as the Associated Press reports, with 200 million daily active users as of this year. Snapchat, meanwhile, has gained ground and has 280 million daily users, while Facebook says it had 1.88 billion daily users in March.
As such, Twitter has been improving their product and adding features over the last two years, including the addition of the "Super Follower" paid option for influencers (and adult performers) back in February. With that feature, Twitter joined the ranks of other platforms like YouTube, Substack, Patreon, and OnlyFans that give creators (and porn stars) the ability to charge monthly subscriptions for their content.
Previously: Twitter Will Let Influencers and Adult Performers Charge to See 'Premium' Tweets
