It’s also planning a groups feature

Twitter announced a pair of big upcoming features today: the ability for users to charge their followers for access to additional content, and the ability to create and join groups based around specific interests. They’re two of the more substantial changes to Twitter in a while, but they also fit snugly into models that have been popular and successful on other social platforms.

The payment feature, called Super Follows, will allow Twitter users to charge followers and give them access to extra content. That could be bonus tweets, access to a community group, subscription to a newsletter, or a badge indicating your support. In a mockup screenshot, Twitter showed an example where a user charges $4.99 per month to receive a series of perks. Twitter sees it as a way to let creators and publishers get paid directly by their fans.

COMMUNITIES COULD BE TWITTER’S TAKE ON FACEBOOK GROUPS

Direct payment tools have become increasingly important for creators in particular in recent years. Patreon has been hugely successful, and other platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and even GitHub have all launched direct creator payment features. Twitter will presumably take a cut — the company has been hinting at subscriptions features that would offer it a new source of revenue — though it doesn’t appear to have said yet what that fee will be.

Twitter also announced a new feature called Communities, which appear to be its take on something like Facebook Groups. People can create and join groups around specific interests — like cats or plants, Twitter suggests — allowing them to see more tweets focused on those topics. Groups have been a huge success for Facebook (and a huge moderation problem, too), and they could be a particularly helpful tool on Twitter, since the service’s open-ended nature can make it difficult for new users to get started on the platform.

There’s no timeline yet for when either of these features will launch. Twitter listed them as “what’s next” for its platform during a presentation for analysts and investors

source: theverge.com

2020 has been an interesting year for the team at Twitter, but one of the newest developments is the announcement of the return of its blue check verified accounts programme.

In a blog post on 24 November, Twitter announced that it will be reprioritising its verification program. The company temporarily shelved the programme three years ago.

Verification was previously criticized as “arbitrary” and “confusing”. The company also noted that while it meant to authenticate identity, users interpreted the blue checks as an endorsement or indicator of importance.

The verification system will relaunch in 2021. But first, Twitter will kickstart its plans by asking for critical feedback on its newly drafted verification policies.

Twitter hopes that this feedback will help it make better judgment calls as to which users will be eligible for verification.

Who will be able to get verified on Twitter?

Twitter outlined six account types that will be eligible to receive the verification badge.

These include:

• Government accounts
• Accounts representing companies, brands, and NGOs
• News outlets and organisations
• Entertainment and sports companies
• Accounts owned by activists, organisers, and other influencers.

Twitter has created a page detailing the criteria for its drafted policy. The company also says that it will add more account types to the criteria in 2021.

It has, additionally, added disqualifying criteria that will prevent an account from receiving verification.

This includes the use of bots and bought followers to inflate audience numbers. Notably, accounts associated with hateful content or harmful activity may be ineligible for verification.

Meanwhile, groups and individuals who have committed human rights violations (and found guilty by an independent commission) will be ineligible for verification. This policy will apply even if their Twitter activity doesn’t violate any platform rules.

The public feedback period runs from 24 November until 8 December, with Twitter set to publish the final policy on 17 December.

You can take part in the feedback by completing the Twitter verification survey.

If you want to Tweet your feedback, tag Twitter and use the hashtag #VerificationFeedback.

source : memeburn.com

During its Oppo Inno Day 2020 event, Oppo unveiled its rollable concept smartphone device — the Oppo X 2021 — bringing its own spin to devices with flexible displays.

The Oppo X 2021 features a variable OLED display that can unroll from 6.7-inches to 7.4 inches, allowing users to adjust the screen size according to different needs and scenarios.

During a hands-on tour of the devices, the company showed off the prototype for the Oppo X 2021.

Thanks to the rollable screen and motor, users can essentially use a gesture on the side of the device to make it expand to a wider format. Fully extended, the device measures roughly the same size as an e-reader or small tablet.

According to Oppo, the device offers a more natural interactive experience for users while providing a flexible display.

The screen’s expansion is powered by a Roll Motor powertrain which unrolls the display. Other Oppo technologies incorporated into the device include its 2-in-1 plate and Warp Track high-strength screen laminate.

Other technologies showcased at the event were Oppo’s AR Glass 2021 and CyberReal AR application.

But with more companies leaning into flexible and multi-display technologies, the Oppo X 2021 concept device could eventually appear on the market in some form.

Recently, LG launched its newest multi-screen device in South Africa — the LG Wing.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s latest foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 2, is also currently on the market.

The new concept by Oppo, however, may provide an experience that smartphone owners are more accustomed to.

Feature image: Oppo

source : memeburn.com

Snapchat has introduced a new feature that pulls out the astrology charts and gives users a personal astrological profile and compatibility measures with friends.

The company announced the new feature on the Snapchat blog. It gives users access to their astrological details via their profile. This includes analyses and personality summaries according to their sun, moon, and rising signs and all ten planetary positions within the solar system relative to their star signs.

To make use of this astrology feature, users need to have the latest Snapchat update. You can then select the Bitmoji icon on the top left corner to access your profile.

Users select the star sign icon below their name to access the feature.

Snapchat asks users to provide information such as date of birth, birth time, and location. You will then receive your astrological profile.

Snapchat has also included a social component to this feature, allowing users to share their astrological profile with others.

Selecting the astrology icon on your friends’ profile will bring up their astrological profile — if they have opted into the feature. You can also view a compatibility analysis.

The friendship Compatibility Story covers five different aspects featuring Attraction, Intensity, Tension, Support, and Harmony.

The update is live globally in English.

Feature image: Snapchat

source : memeburn.com