Twitter expected to launch beta app for testing some news features on platform

While there are some loyal users Twitter earned long ago that have stuck around despite Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, for many other users, Twitter still struggles to make sense. In order to attract these users, the microblogging website is now reportedly testing some "big changes" in a beta app.This beta app is scheduled to launch (per an Engadget report) sometime this week. The app will be available only to a select number of users, who will get access to the new features. The beta app will be a standalone app, different from the regular Twitter app that we all use, and it will be a medium for all the testers to discuss the new features. Twitter says that only “a few thousand users” will get to be a part of this programme and that not everyone who applies for the beta will be able to get in.[caption id="attachment_5376121" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Representational Image[/caption]According to a report by TechCrunch, Twitter will be using its own theme of giving users the voice, by picking up from the conversations of the testers to turn these beta features into a full-blown product for the new public app.Popular reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong also recently tweeted about being part of this beta programme and shared an image of what the new UI would look like. Of course, the dark mode will still be a part of the new app!A report by The Verge also reveals that the first version of the beta will test features like colour coding depending on who you’re responding to, status updates, icebreakers, availability statuses, chat bubbles, and more.In addition to that, Twitter is reportedly also planning to allow users to attach tags to tweets. Basically, similar to Facebook, you will be able to add tags like "Watching Netflix" to your tweets to offer perspective to your tweet if needed.At CES 2019, Sara Haider, Twitter’s director of product management said, "We're making some pretty big changes to the way conversations look and feel on Twitter, and we don't want to just unveil that one day and what if you don't like it or it's not working for you?"However, when asked about the long-awaited editable feature for tweets, Haider said that there is no solid word on that yet.