Twitter for iPad update prompts heavy backlash

Twitter for iPad update prompts heavy backlash
Bloggers have been critical of Twitter's new look

Twitter's decision to freshen up its iPad offering has been met with a barrage of criticism from some of the web's loudest voices.

The new application, which Twitter calls "beautiful, fast and easy to use" replaces the popular and unique tabbed design created by Tweetie founder Loren Brichter, who is no longer working at Twitter.

The company is touting the new UI across all of its mobile and desktop platforms, which requires users to expand tweets from the timeline, in order to follow web links, view photos, and watch videos.

This has not been received well from commentators, who're calling the update a step backwards, and users voicing their displeasure in iTunes reviews, many questioning why the user experience had been compromised for the sake of change.

Groundbreaking

The always-vocal Jon Gruber of the Daring Fireball site says: "They threw away Loren Brichter's groundbreaking UI and replaced it with a timeline where you can't tap anything — URLs, usernames, hash tags, images. Instead, you have to tap to 'open' the tweet first.

"I can't remember the last time I saw a Twitter client in which you couldn't tap URLs from the timeline."

Another unhappy camper, Wade Rouch of Xconomy, said the new app reminded him of something "designed for an Android smartphone." Ouch.

Mashable's review added: "When you load up Twitter's iPad update for the first time, chances are you're going to think there's something wrong."

So, the bottom line is, if you haven't updated your Twitter for iPad application yet, you may not want to.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.