When Twitter introduced Moments in October, it was supposed to be one of the biggest changes to how people use the platform. Of course, that depended on people actually using it.
Now it seems Twitter might force-feed you moments in your timeline in the form of a carousel with five trending topics. You can then tap on topics to enter a full-screen view to scroll through the Moments normally.
First written up by Engadget, a few users in countries where Moments has been activated are seeing the test show up on both iOS and Android. Twitter has since confirmed the test, providing the following statement:
Moments are awesome for catching up with the latest stories unfolding on Twitter. Because we’re always working on new ways to bring the best content to our users, we’re experimenting with showing recommended Moments in the timeline.
In other words, don’t be surprised if this doesn’t show up on your device at all, although these small tests have a tendency to become real features after a few months.
For all the hype, I rarely end up using Moments myself. Not because it’s not a useful feature, but because they’re not one of the first things I see when I log on to Twitter. I have to remember to swipe to the Moments tab to use it, and given I mostly just look at Twitter in passing if I’m not working, that’s one step too many.
That’s precisely what Twitter is trying to change by putting up Moments right in your Timeline. Some users will be annoyed in the process, but it’s probably the most effective way to introduce Moments to a wider audience without a complete redesign.
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