Twitter begins forcing its TikTok-like ‘For You’ timeline on iOS

Twitter has started to roll out a big change on iOS by replacing the “sparkle” button that switches between the algorithmic and reverse chronological feeds. Now, you swipe between two tabs called “For You” and “Following,” to change your timeline, and you’ll always see the For You tab first when you open the app.

The company more or less stole the For You name from TikTok, rather than using the Home moniker it had before. As with Home (and TikTok), it shows tweets from accounts you follow out of order, along with algorithmically-selected tweets from others you may like. 

Twitter for iOS now features an algorithmic 'For You' page as the default
Engadget

In fact, Twitter introduced a very similar feature earlier this year, letting you swipe between “Home” and “Latest Tweets” to switch timelines. However, it abandoned the idea days later after a chorus of complaints from users who didn’t like the fact that Home was basically foisted on them.  

The company seems set on implementing it again anyway with a different name, and it may generate the same gripes, judging by the replies to Twitter Support. On the web or current Android app, selecting the chronological feed is a permanent choice, and stays even if you close the app. With the new iOS version, however, For You always appears when you close and reopen the app, so you’ll have to switch your timeline to Following every single time.

Elon Musk promised to make this change late last year, tweeting that “main timeline should allow for an easy sideways swipe between the top, latest, trending and topics that you follow.” With two of those now implemented, we could see further changes down the road . 

Apple will reportedly start using in-house displays for its watches by 2024

Apple will begin replacing its mobile devices’ displays with its in-house screen technology as soon as next year, according to Bloomberg. The tech giant will reportedly start with its highest-end Apple Watches in late 2024 and will swap the devices’ current OLED screens with its own microLED technology. Bloomberg says Apple’s homegrown display tech will also make its way to its other devices, including the iPhone. The new display is brighter with more vibrant colors and will reportedly make it seem as if watchfaces and other content are painted on top of the glass. Plus, it can be viewed better at an angle.

The publication first reported about Apple’s efforts to develop its own display way back in 2018. Apparently, Apple was originally working to introduce its technology in 2020, but it was hampered by the costs and technical challenges associated with the development. Those same concerns also prevented the company from including larger displays in its plans and had prompted it to focus on making the Watch the first device with its in-house screen. 

Despite the delay and potential future delays — Apple might push back the display’s debut to 2025, Bloomberg’s sources said — the technology is one of the company’s most critical projects. The tech giant has reportedly spent several billion dollars on its development and is already testing the new screen on an update to the Apple Watch Ultra. It’s also test manufacturing the screens in its facility in Santa Clara, California, though it may ultimately outsource its mass production.

As Bloomberg notes, Apple’s shift to its own displays could be a big blow to its suppliers, mainly Samsung and LG. But the manufacturers may have been bracing for it for quite some time now: After all, it’s no secret that Apple has been developing its own components in a bid to lessen reliance on third-party companies. It had previously moved away from Intel processors to its own chips for Mac computers and its reportedly planning to use its own wireless chipsets in iPhones by 2025.