Twitter is trying something new with Moments: vertical scrolling
Twitter Moments could soon get a new look.
Twitter is currently testing a new look for Moments on iOS and Android that's meant to make its design more consistent with the rest of the site.
Instead of the current format, which emphasizes photos and videos and arranges tweets horizontally, the new design features vertical scrolling. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed the test, noting the company hasn't changed its curation strategy, just the actual look for Moments.
"We're experimenting with a new vertical format for Moments, based on research that shows Moments may be easier to consume if they are more consistent with the Twitter experience. This new format will continue to showcase curated stories about what's happening -- the content in Moments remains the same."
It looks like Twitter is testing out a few different looks for Moments on its iOS and Android apps. On iOS, the first tweet is still photo-centric, but subsequent tweets look more like your normal timeline. On Android, the company is testing a slightly different look, where only one tweet displays at a time.
Both designs are similar, though, in that they place tweets vertically, rather than horizontally, so tweets that are pulled into Moments look more like they do on the rest of Twitter. That could end up being a important distinction as it might make the Moments feature easier to understand.
The update comes several months after Twitter first replaced its Moments tab on mobile with a new "explore" section that highlights live video and trending topics in addition to Moments. Though that change made Moments less visible in its app, Twitter says the change hasn't negatively impacted the feature.
"The Moments audience continues to grow, in part as a result of enhancements to the experience like these."
It's not clear yet if or when Twitter plans to make the feature permanent, but the company often tests feature changes with small groups of users before rolling them out more broadly.
Topics Social Media X/Twitter
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
