Photos fly to Twitter direct messages, swiping timelines slide in too

Twitter
DMing will get a whole lot less text-y

Mere days before an event where Instagram may unveil its own messaging service, Twitter is out with an update of its own.

As of today, its mobile apps will let users send photos in direct messages. It's a feature that some would say should have been available long ago, but better late than never, right?

Photos in direct messages will be viewable through Twitter's website, too.

The newly public social network has also added a tab navigation bar to make DMs more prominent. With the update, wherever you are in Twitter, direct messages are never more than a tap away.

Swipe, swipe, swipe

The Twitter news doesn't stop there; the company outed new swipe controls so users can jump between their Home, Discover and Activity timelines with a brush of the finger.

It's a small gesture, as it t'were, but one that should lead to easier navigation, discovery, and more time spent inside Twitter.

What's more, the iOS version of the Twitter app now has new in-app notifications to inform users when they've been DMed, favorited, retweeted or someone has replied to one of their tweest.

Over at Twitter for Android, tapping a star on another user's profile will turn on mobile notifications for that person.

Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.