Twitter Shares Pricing on New Account Activity APIs, Some Third-Party Apps in Jeopardy

[ktecac]

So stupid. Can you even have DM group access with that huge monthly rate? Every Twitter app i've used except the (already behind and now being abandoned) official client did not support DM groups.
So it seems Twitter is making devs pay for an incomplete Twitter experience at a high price.
Such a f***ing missed opportunity - I love Twitter but refuse to leave a f****ng tab open for it. Should be easy to have a few nice, simple applications. Literally hundreds of other companies do this with no problem at all. Nice, simple, frequently updated applications for use on all the main operating systems.
Getting unreasonably upset because unlike some of you I can't stop using Twitter so looks like I'm stuck with this situation.

if Apple ever gets the integration / 'global environment' of iOS / MacOS linked (where everyone iOS app runs natively on MacOS) then this won't be such a problem but until then may be SOL.

 

[DaveOP]

No loss for Twitter there. If you're using a 3rd party app and not seeing ads, you're a cost drain to Twitter. They'll be happy to have you gone.

The people Twitter wants to keep are invested enough in the platform that they'll stick around after these changes. Those like yourself aren't likely very invested if this change will cause you to leave, so there's far less impact to them from you leaving.

I could live with ads, and would HAPPILY pay a few dollars a month to keep Tweetbot access going, but not paying $12+ a month that Tweetbot would need to charge (if I understand correctly) for Twitter. Chronological and sync'd timelines are what matters to me.

 

[hobsgrg]

Anyway you cut it, $11.60/month per user is insane.

Twitter should just serve ads (or promoted tweets) on the standard 3rd party API that 3rd party Twitter accounts must display.

It should be pointed out that the pricing isn't intended for 3rd party client that replicates the official client. They had other companies that provide corporate tools such as helping companies run and analyse their official twitter account. However this will be the only way that 3rd party clients will be able to replicate the functionality they already offer which is why the pricing is so crazy as it is intended for a totally different product and business model. However Twitter have made it clear they want those 3rd party clients to die so they aren't worried about the pricing being obviously unaffordable for them.

 

[Futurix]

Without synced chronological timeline I’m gone.

You do know it's an option, right?
Both the Twitter website and official apps allow you to restore chronological timeline (and you only need to do it once to switch everywhere).

 

[ifarlow]

What "official apps" are people referring to? Twitter for Mac is gone, and TweetDeck is long abandoned from 2015.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

You do know it's an option, right?
Both the Twitter website and official apps allow you to restore chronological timeline (and you only need to do it once to switch everywhere).

I do know that, but I was A-B'ing Twitter to Tweetbot and Tweetbot would sometimes have a Tweet that I did not see in the official client.

Confirmed. In the official client, I am missing tweets. Might be my account has the content filter turned on.

On the flip side, in Tweetbot, it doesn't always load links. For example, same tweet from @SyFy, Twitter has a card with a weblink, Tweetbot does not.

 

[miniyou64]

I can’t believe this many people still use Twitter

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

What "official apps" are people referring to? Twitter for Mac is gone, and TweetDeck is long abandoned from 2015.

TweetDeck still sees updates to add new features Twitter offers. There were 2 updates to it yesterday alone. It's essentially a shell (and always was) container for an HTML-based feed, so the external bit of the app doesn't change when an update is released.

 

[ifarlow]

Ah, got it.

 

[SteveJobbinIt]

forget TweetBot, Twitterrific is probably the best App i have ever used on my iPhone and makes the twitter experience fantastic. if they go down, i'm done with twitter.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Twitter finally realized it can only reliably monetize content in its own app, so it needs to move everyone off third-party apps.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

forget TweetBot, Twitterrific is probably the best App i have ever used on my iPhone and makes the twitter experience fantastic. if they go down, i'm done with twitter.

They've already indicated that will be the case.

https://twitter.com/BigZaphod/status/996785022886608896

 

[Diamond Dog]

No loss for Twitter there. If you're using a 3rd party app and not seeing ads, you're a cost drain to Twitter. They'll be happy to have you gone.

The people Twitter wants to keep are invested enough in the platform that they'll stick around after these changes. Those like yourself aren't likely very invested if this change will cause you to leave, so there's far less impact to them from you leaving.

Right, I understand that. I'm not leaving the platform to try and strike a blow to Twitter financially or otherwise. I simply don't enjoy the platform enough to use their stock app.

If they provided an option for chronological timeline with no algorithms (no matter how many times I tell it I don't want to see the "In case you missed" section, it always comes back) or people I don't follow shoved all over the feed, I might consider otherwise-- even if that meant having ads in my timeline to provide them with revenue. Hell, I'd pay a couple bucks a month for a completely chronological, ad-free feed.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

If they provided an option for chronological timeline with no algorithms or people I don't follow shoved all over the feed, I might consider otherwise, even if that meant having ads in my timeline to provide them with revenue.

Twitter's stock experience is a lot like what you see with LinkedIn. It's a complete pain to use and there is so much crap mixed in that it's hard to decipher what is the stuff you want to see and what is all of the extra fluff they try to cram on the screen.

 

[jetho]

I'm in a state of anger and frustration...

Twitter is actively trying everything to kill third party developers. Meanwhile:
- their iOS app is a mess (imo)
- they neglected to support their macOS app for month before finally killing it
- their macOS share sheet extension (in Safari for example) still only supports FREAKING 140 characters!

Fix your own goddamn software first, before destroying the ones which still have developers who care!

From my point of view social networks are in a weird state right now: I feel like every social network is trying to do everything to get me to cancel my account...might not be a bad thing after all, but at the moment it frustrates me, as I still enjoy using Twitter (via Tweetbot) and to some degree Instagram.

 

[Diamond Dog]

Twitter's stock experience is a lot like what you see with LinkedIn. It's a complete pain to use and there is so much crap mixed in that it's hard to decipher what is the stuff you want to see and what is all of the extra fluff they try to cram on the screen.

It's true, which is a shame. I really do prefer to use "first party" apps when given the choice, but the experience in their app is just so messy. If they offered a slimmed down experience where my timeline was synced and chronological, I could deal with ads inserted every so often. I could also deal with paying a few bucks a month to remove the ads.

 

[profets]

You do know it's an option, right?
Both the Twitter website and official apps allow you to restore chronological timeline (and you only need to do it once to switch everywhere).

Does it? That’s good to hear.

What I really like about Tweetbot is that I use it on my iPhone, iPads and iMac. Chronological order and timeline sync are the biggest features for me - especially the sync, picking up on one device after using it on another.

Edit: Just tried the official apps and website. No, can’t do it. It’s chronological, but still filled with ads, suggest stuff, people to follow. Gross. Not to mention how terribly it wastes screen space on iPad and the web. Oh, and of course, no Mac app.

 

[dumastudetto]

Twitter finally realized it can only reliably monetize content in its own app, so it needs to move everyone off third-party apps.

Of course if the power users who create most of the valuable content that keeps everyone else engaged with Twitter go away, Twitter probably won't even need to maintain their official clients for too long - nevermind worrying about third party apps.

 

[ViDeOmAnCiNi]

damn you @twitter. I realize that this is your application and service, but locking out all 3rd party apps is just criminal (possibly need to be investigated?)

Don't even get me started on your IDIOTIC war with Instagram so we cannot see the IG pix in your CRAP client.

 

[Junior117]

So Twitter dropped their aging macOS app without a replacement and now they are potentially crippling or eliminating fantastic third-party app options. I'm really curious why Twitter execs think this is a good path to take. I am but one person, I know, but unless something changes come August I suppose I won't be using Twitter any longer.

Perhaps that's not such a bad thing.

Not only that, but they've also re-launched the Windows app, letting Twitter give an even bigger "F*** you" to Mac users. *sigh. -_-

(I know that Windows has a larger audience, but that's no excuse to kill off the Mac app.)

Third-party apps make money off these APIs. If your company provided something, wouldn't you want to be paid if others used it to make money for themselves?

It takes a LOT of time and energy to keep APIs up and running, in addition to regularly upgrading them. It's unlikely Twitter will be making money here, but rather breaking even. Helps justify continuing to maintain it when they could simply shut it off for everyone.

I don't disagree with you, but they can at least take a middle ground: make it free but you have to put their ads in your app, or don't put their ads in your app, but pay a (reasonable) fee. I think this is a little too high of an asking price for smaller developers. Enterprise customers, on the other hand, can more than help themselves with the $2,899 (or more) per month.

As I said before, I don't disagree with you (and as a developer myself, I can understand the justification as they don't have to give out access to their APIs), but I think it would be great for them to at least make sure that the community doesn't die off because of this.

As for breaking even, well, since they've recently begun to generate a profit, I don't think this will help all that much. But I'm not running the company, so maybe it is hurting their bottom line.

Don't even get me started on your IDIOTIC war with Instagram so we cannot see the IG pix in your CRAP client.

Actually, Instagram decided to block the ability to view images inline with Twitter:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busi...237fe2-3eef-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_story.html

So if you want to blame anyone, blame Facebook.

 

[a.jfred]

You do know it's an option, right?
Both the Twitter website and official apps allow you to restore chronological timeline (and you only need to do it once to switch everywhere).

Well, sort of. Maybe.

You're still stuck with ads, you're still stuck with promoted tweets, and you're still stuck with "things you may have missed" ... which ultimately result in me refreshing twitter.com multiple times to actually see the content I want to see in chronological order.

I shouldn't have to jump through a plethora of hoops to view the content I actually want to see, and it's at a point where I honestly don't really pull it up that much anymore.

Editing to add: I've stuck with Echofon for years for iPhone & iPad. I think I paid maybe $3 for the "pro" version that gets rid of ads, gives me a nice night mode, and does everything I need it to do. I suspect they won't be around much longer w/this change, either.

 

[SoGood]

What a joke to charge $2900/mth for 250 users! Twitter might as well shoot itself.

 

[newyorksole]

The only reason I can browse Twitter now is that Tweetbot has a chronological timeline without the random inserted ads. I am sure this lowers their revenue and engagement on me, but I'd also leave twitter if I was forced back to the mess that is their native app.

Omg I’m so glad I’m not the only one that hates the official Twitter app. It SUCKS. It’s so confusing to me. Idk how people use it. TweetBot is so good.

 

[Apple Fritter]

No loss for Twitter there. If you're using a 3rd party app and not seeing ads, you're a cost drain to Twitter. They'll be happy to have you gone.

The people Twitter wants to keep are invested enough in the platform that they'll stick around after these changes. Those like yourself aren't likely very invested if this change will cause you to leave, so there's far less impact to them from you leaving.

Believe it or not, I appreciate your argument. Freeloaders can be a nuissance, but I'm not sure that's the problem here.

Now, I may be completely wrong, but I reckon that someone buying an app just to use a platform more comfortably is somewhat invested in it and more prone to engage. That engagement alone adds value to the platform in general, even though they may not see ads themselves, helping the bottom line in the end.

And while I fully understand that they have to make money somehow, why don't I see some pop-up asking me to remove ads for a reasonable 5$/mo. or 50$/yr e.g. that enables 3rd party access as well? Win-win for everybody. But they'd rather pout and lock down everything. I just don't think that's much of a wise decision at all.

 

[netwalker]

$11.60/mo/user? That's crazy.

For ordinary Twitter users, yes, if they need those paid API features (probably not).
For cooperate users that actually make money on Twitter for free, it is still very cheap to use Twitter as a platform to market products or communicate with customers. Look at social media marketing tools, helpdesk tools etc. that connect to the Twitter API and what those tools cost per month. A lot of companies are making money on and with Twitter except for Twitter.