Social media users will be intrigued with the new-look Twitter, which bears an uncanny resemblance to certain elements of Instagram. With a refreshed platform, the user experience includes a reply icon with a speech bubble, a newly rounded profile image and greater incorporation of and focus on imagery. Twitter has said that the refresh is designed to make its platform easier and quicker to use.

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The fresh social media design is being rolled out across the brand’s website and Android and iOS apps, along with its tweet scheduling program, Tweetdeck, and also its slow-internet/low storage option, Twitter Lite.

The platform refresh was carried out by the brand’s in-house design and UX research team and appears to have taken inspiration from some of the most popular features on Instagram. The typography has been refined for a more consistent experience, the old square profile pictures have a softer round edge and emboldened headline use allows users to focus more clearly on the page activity.

An updated iconography suite is designed to provide a more intuitive experience, with a lightened colour for modernity. The new speech bubble for the reply function is an obvious change and avoids the confusion over what the old arrow stood for. Icon style has also updated to replace line-drawn graphics with the original filled-in symbols.

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Inspiration from Instagram?

The photos used have been highlighted and given more precedence due to a cleaner app backdrop and a lighter finish. Rounded edges are now being used in place of square edges. Many users will note that the changes reflect those seen on Instagram, where there are rounded profile images, a focus on imagery, speech bubbles for chat and line-drawn graphics. Instagram revealed its latest website design in 2015.

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Other New Twitter Features

Twitter users will also now benefit from real-time conversations as tweets instantly update with likes, retweets and replies so that the page doesn’t need to be refreshed. The app UX has been adjusted too so that text is removed from the bottom of the app, and icons have been minimised. A new side navigation bar shows menu options and user profile data.