Many of us may skip our meals, but never forget to keep ourselves on top of social media – be it Facebook or Twitter. As you know, Twitter is one such platform that plays an important role in facilitating conversations, sharing your thoughts and delivering news and information. Therefore, Twitter performs updates, modifications and adds new Twitter features every now and then designed to make your tweeting experience more enjoyable.
If you are one of the fans who use this powerful medium via your Smartphone, then there is indeed great news for you with the recent Twitter announcement of an update for its iOS and Android apps. Twitter has added multiple new Twitter features such as photo galleries and a completely new form of two way authentication. Not only this, Twitter has made an effort to improve its list as well as search management.
But before you download the latest version from the Google Play and Apple’s App store, stay ahead of this recent update.
Today’s Twitter for Android and iOS allows you to enroll in login verification and also supports login requests directly from your mobile applications. There has been a growing complaint against twitter accounts being compromised by a breach of password data on the Web or through email phishing schemes. To address this problem, Twitter introduced a new security feature to effectively protect your Twitter account.
New Twitter Features for Smartphone Users
How is the Login Verification Approach Formed?
Once you login to your Twitter account, there is a security check to ensure that it is really you attempting to login. Next you will be asked to verify your email address and phone number. You have to go through these following steps to get into your account:
- Login to your account setting page.
- Choose “require a verification code when I sign in.”
- Click on the link to “add a phone” and then follow the instruction.
- Once you enroll in login verification, you will be prompted to enter a six-digit code that is sent to your phone via an SMS.
Don’t worry; your existing application will work with this new login verification. You may wonder, “What if I login to my Twitter account on other apps and devices?” Yes, it is possible by visiting your application page to create a temporary password to log in and authorize that application.
Instead of just relying on a password, login verification keeps your account secured. However, even if it assures tight security, you must ensure that the following factors are properly checked:
- Use login verification.
- Use a strong password.
- Be careful of suspicious links.
- Make sure the operating system is up-to-date.
What are the Advantages of this Approach?
Added Context:
You can see browser details and location in the app, once a login request is made.
Extensive Support Internationally:
Login verification via SMS is mainly available through supported mobile carriers across the globe. All that’s required is Twitter’s supported apps and an Internet connection to enroll in login verification.
No Need of a Phone Number:
You can avoid giving your phone number by using in-application approvals and push messaging. This is especially required when you create multiple Twitter accounts but only have one phone number.
No Worries, When You Lose Your Phone:
If you lose your phone, the backup code in the apps can be written down in a secured place to access your Twitter account.
How are the New Search Engine and List Management Approaches Formed?
Twitter’s improved search engine is more in line with Google Universal Search. Coupled with displaying tweets and people, the new search also includes videos, social context and photos. From now on, when you start searching for something, the results will be widely classified into three segments:
- Photos
- Social Context
- People
Searches will auto-fill, providing the context of how you are connected to certain people on your account. It will also feature photos in an Instagram-like type of gallery. It enables you to view all the pictures a person has posted to Twitter. You can also request to “view more photos” which provides a gallery view of images.
The list has been successfully managed to enable you to create a new list, edit the existing lists, add or remove members or manage titles and descriptions.
It is quite interesting to see how Twitter is taking the time to put more effort into evolving its new Twitter features. While it has focused on iOS and Android, we hope that it brings the same functionality in the app to all devices.
Blue Bird Photo via Shutterstock
I’ll be honest. I am not really a fan of all those extra security features where I need to key in my phone number. I find it to be a hassle. I know that it’s for my security but my account already had a password, right? It also has a security question. Oh well, I guess some people appreciate the extra security.
William Johnson
Hi Aira! I do understand your viewpoint. Sometimes it really gets troublesome to access the extra security features. It actuallty depends on the importance of data you are trying to keep secure
Facebook has this security feature already and I am one of them using this in my smartphone. I think some people really feel annoyed going through these extra security measures while logging into their account, but I feel it’s needed.
Having a password is not the only security because if somehow it gets hacked and you can’t access your account, it will not only create a problem for yourself, but can also hamper your business. So having multiple security measures allows your account to be safe and secure.
William Johnson
Hi Alamin! Absolutely addimg an extra layer of security does no harm and leaves you frre from worry of security breach
Martin Lindeskog
Willian Johnson: Thanks for informing about the updates. I am using Twitter’s app on my iPhone every day. I wonder if you now could search for old tweets?
Teepu Cedi Camba
I haven’t updated my twitter yet. I’ll better check it out myself. By the way, I like the part when it warns you about suspicious link. There was a time when I had a victim friend and his account was sharing malicious photos.
William Johnson
Hi Teepu! Better be sure of any suspicious link and go ahead and update your twitter.