Twitter experimenting with ‘nearby’ tweets
The new experimental feature shows tweets nearby their location on a map.
Twitter is reportedly working on a new feature that shows tweets nearby their location on a map. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the new feature is being tested for iOS platform and appears as one of the timelines by swiping across from the default view. The reports say the new feature has been added very recently.
Interestingly, the feature lets you add location to a tweet since 2010. The feature, however, is turned off by default, and to use the feature, one must switch it on. The WSJ report speculates the new feature is aimed at resolving problem that discover and search tabs have failed to do so – streamlining the tweets and making it locally relevant for users.
The new feature could be of great help in case of any events or disasters. Users can locate people in almost real time.
Brian Wieser, an analyst at the Pivotal Research group, says “Maybe they’ll come across something that will be incrementally interesting to some advertisers,” he said.
Twitter, however, has remained tight-lipped about the new service. The company of late has been testing quite a few new features. The recent experimental handle, @magicstats, is supposed to identify popular tweets on the social network. Earlier, Twitter has been testing out new features with several experimental accounts such as @magicrecs and @eventparrot.
Source: WSJ