Twitter had been promoting dozen features, which are made by folks and 3rd party client applications.
Most important promoted feature from folks and client is @ and reply. In 2007, twitter did not have feature to add link to user’s profile page. Many user usually post from SMS and tell just “what I’m doing”. Some 3rd party client app started to add @ before user name, and soon later, “conversation” started on Twitter world. After year later, Twitter officially promote these feature as “reply” and “conversation chain”.
Image thumbnail or posting are also started by user and 3rd party client. Dozen of iOS apps started to post images on Twitter, and shows thumbnail besides tweets. Twitter, did you remember the photo from Hudson river?
ReTweet is another example. TweetDeck or other client started quote tweet with adding RT or ReTweet and filled timeline. Twitter promoted as RT with polite and good way with considering violating copyright. That was cool operation, I think. Twitter, I hope you remember first ReTweet.
Open and simple API leads many type of user experience, which are made by 3rd party application clients. These unique UX make timeline to be harvest-full hooks.
Twitter, your stiff API and Rules of the Road will stop 3rd party to develop new approach. Twitter does not have good experience for posting, engaging and viewing video media yet, and does not have cool approach for shopping items which are done by Wanelo or Fab.
However 3rd party client have not propose new social communication method since 2009, if twitter forces 3rd party to use same UX, new approach or innovative way will not boon from Twitter world.
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