Twitter launches separate beta app for testing experimental features

Twitter is going to release a separate beta app for users who want to participate in tests of experimental features. The first new features in the app are color coding in replies and algorithmic sorting of replies to a tweet.

Users can sign up for the beta within a few weeks, after which they can download the app, Techcrunch reports. This means those users have two Twitter apps on their phone. Twitter will determine whether this is desirable based on the feedback it receives on this step.

The intention is not to test features that are about to come out. Twitter wants to test functions in the app that are further from release, in order to be able to modify or delete them further if necessary. That should prevent Twitter from introducing features that many users do not like.

The first features in the app are replies that are color-coded to distinguish them from other tweets. Also, replies from contacts or people who interact with users on Twitter will appear higher in a list of replies to a tweet. This algorithmic sort is already in the timeline, but not in answers yet. In addition, Twitter automatically hides the Like and Retweet buttons in replies, because they are used less there. Users must click on a tweet to like or retweet it.