On iOS, for example, developers can ping a user’s device at any time and recall a list of apps that are currently running on their smartphone. Again, knowing which apps people use could help Twitter populate that timeline.īoth Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems already allow third parties to gather this type of data. The plan is to keep new subscribers from facing a blank timeline right after they sign up. Earlier this month, the company talked about an “instant timeline” product that could help new users automatically follow relevant people. It could also help Twitter’s push to sign up new users. Knowing which apps its users have gives Twitter another signal. Twitter also recommends people for users to follow based on who else is in a person’s network. In the past few months, Twitter started showing tweets to users from people they didn’t follow, using an algorithm to identify tweets its new users may like. The move will also help Twitter improve the content recommendations it offers. The company’s business model is dependent on targeted advertising, and while Twitter can already determine some things about its subscribers based on what they tweet and whom they follow, the information is still limited, especially compared with Facebook’s extensive set of data.
TWITTER DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID UPDATE
Twitter says the reason for the update is simple: It’s trying to learn more about its user base so it can make more money selling ads. The update is opt-out, meaning Twitter will start collecting this information from users automatically unless they explicitly tell it otherwise. The social network says it will start collecting data on which apps its users have downloaded onto their phones. Twitter will soon be peeking in on your smartphone.