Twitter has just announced a major redesign of user profile pages to include an all new header photo that sits at the top of the page. The new photo is now where a user’s handle, information, and profile pic resides. Twitter says that this new emphasis on a large header photo will help users better express themselves across multiple devices.
Of course, the new profile pages can’t just exist on the web, so Twitter has also announced updates to their iPhone, Android, and iPad apps.
The updates to the iPhone and Android apps are pretty basic. Of course, the update gives each device the new profiles with the header photo. Remember, if you upload a header photo from any device (web included), it will stay uniform across all devices. Other than some general polishes and fixes, the only other major improvement to the iPhone/Android apps involves photos as well. Now, scrollable photo streams will appears on profile pages (just under a user’s most recent tweets) and event pages.
The Twitter for iPad app seems to have received the biggest update, as Twitter says they’ve “rebuilt the app from the group up to make it fast, beautiful, and easy to use.” I wouldn’t go so far as to say the old Twitter for iPad app was unusable, but it definitely needed some love and care.
Twitter has made browsing media in your timeline much simpler, as you can now expand tweets with one click. Click on the photo, video, or article link again to see it in fullscreen mode. They’ve also added the Discover tab, so you can “read news stories that are popular within your network, see which Tweets and accounts are favorited and followed by the people you know, see what topics are trending, and find great new accounts to follow.”
And of course, the iPad app now includes the header photo. The photo encompasses the entire width of the screen, and it gives a truly beautiful look to the profile. In fact, the iPad is where the new profile looks the most impressive.
You can download the updates apps from the App Store and Google Play right now.