Twitter is testing a new look for the timeline that makes it look like the Instagram timeline. This new timeline with an edge-to-edge concept makes photos and videos look bigger.
Twitter said this trial was conducted to encourage more photo and video-based conversations, so that they don't just focus on text-based tweets.
The form of Twitter's new timeline can be seen in the video below. In the current test, the tweets in the timeline appear to fill the frame from left to right, with no large margin on the left.
As a result, photos and videos in tweets look bigger and fuller. Users may not even need to click on a photo or video to view it in full size.
The new design will also help Twitter overcome the photo cropping problem they've been having lately. Since last year, users have complained about Twitter's algorithm, which is used to crop photos in previews of tweets, because it is considered biased against white faces.
Faced with these complaints, Twitter then released better controls for cropping photos and introducing larger photos in the timeline. But with this trial, Twitter takes that change even further by bringing a timeline that's heavier on Instagram-style visuals.
Currently, Twitter's new timeline is being piloted by a small number of users on iOS. Although it has not been officially released, this new look is immediately complained by users.
Just like when Twitter introduced its new designs and fonts a few months ago, netizens said that Twitter's new timeline gave them a headache. There are also those who say this design change makes Twitter look ugly.
"If you keep this up no one will want to use this app," said Twitter user @auronhoe.
"The more updates you add... this app gets uglier," said netizen @BonkyP followed by a crying emoji.
It is not yet known if this feature will make its way to the Twitter app for Android and when they will roll out this new timeline to all users. But before it officially launches, it looks like Twitter still has a lot of work to do.
