Auto-play videos are coming to Twitter’s official iOS app
Ready or not, auto-play videos are coming to Twitter. The social networking company announced today that the feature is being rolled out to its official iOS app and site.
Native videos, Vines, and GIFs will now automatically begin to play through both platforms. Tapping on the video will expand the player and turn on the sound. Flipping your device to landscape mode will expand the video to fill the entire screen.
Thankfully, users will have some control over the auto-play functionality. Through the app’s setting, you can select to revert back to the older click-to-play style or only have videos auto-play when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
Twitter will also automatically turn off the function if you’re somewhere with high data rates or low bandwidth on your device.
The new auto-play functionality.
Late last week, Twitter announced that it will remove the 140-character limit for direct messages sometime in July. Tweets will obviously stick to the same limit, but removing the limitation for DMs could help breathe some life into the messaging service.
The company is also expanding its beta testing program to iOS device users.
I’m not particularly surprised Twitter is making this change. While the company touted the auto-play feature as a “more seamless video experience,” it is also a great way for advertisers to get their message out with videos as well.
Twitter’s official iOS app is universal and designed for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad/iPad mini. It can be downloaded now for free.
For other app news today, see: Pilot a plane using gyroscope controls in PixWing, Put away your reading glasses with Viskey, and Telltale Games unveils The Walking Dead: Michonne.
