Twitter 'Taking Cues' From Snapchat and Testing Update That Makes the Camera More Accessible - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Twitter 'Taking Cues' From Snapchat and Testing Update That Makes the Camera More Accessible

by

Twitter is "experimenting" with a new update to its mobile iOS and Android apps that is said to make it easier for users to share videos and photos on the social network.

According to people familiar with the matter, speaking with Bloomberg, the update is still in an early testing phase and could "change significantly" over the next few months, but comes at a time when Twitter is looking to attract more users and convince current users to stick around. The exact design of the update wasn't specified, but Twitter is said to have a working demo of a "camera-centered" update that will "entice people" to quickly and easily post video clips of what's happening near them.

twitter image sharing

The current method of accessing the camera to post photos and videos on Twitter for iOS

Bloomberg compared the description of the camera feature to Snapchat's mobile apps, which open to the camera first so users can quickly take snaps. In 2016, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted that the network can be confusing to newcomers and called Snapchat "very modern." To be clear, it doesn't appear that Twitter aims to launch "Twitter Stories," but is simply looking to rearrange its app in a way that allows for more prominent placement of the camera.

Twitter Inc. is working on a new Snapchat-style feature that makes it easier to post videos on the social-media company’s app, according to people familiar with the matter, aiming to attract more users and cement a nascent turnaround.

Social-media leader Facebook Inc. has famously copied innovations from Snap Inc.’s Snapchat, a mobile app focused on ephemeral photos and videos that’s popular with younger audiences. Twitter’s latest change suggests that Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey is taking cues from the newer company as well.

Currently, to post a video or photo on the Twitter iOS app, users have to open the app, tap to compose a tweet, tap "camera," capture a video or photo, add it to the tweet, then tap "Tweet." Those near Twitter's testing of the new feature claimed that "the goal of this product is to reduce the number of steps," aligning it with Snapchat's camera-first user interface.

Video has become a priority for many social media companies over the past few years, including Facebook's frequent updates that introduced an Apple TV video-only app, a dedicated video tab for the iOS app, and a simple right-swipe UI to jump into the camera on iOS and post a Snapchat-style Story. Instagram has a similar right-swipe interaction to launch the camera, and was the first of Facebook's apps to begin the copying of Snapchat Stories back in 2016.

Top Rated Comments

ArtOfWarfare Avatar
113 months ago
Currently, to post a video or photo on the Twitter iOS app, users have to open the app, tap to compose a tweet, tap "camera," capture a video or photo, add it to the tweet, then tap "Tweet." [...] In 2016, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted ('https://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/02/jack-dorsey-twitters-stagnation/') that the network can be confusing to newcomers and called Snapchat "very modern."
I feel like we're in some kind of bizarro world where things are backwards...

Which one of steps are people suggesting shouldn't be necessary to tweet? You should be able to skip opening the app? You should skip hitting a button to start composing and taking a picture? You should skip the confirmation step? Those steps all seem perfectly logical and to skip them would just sound like a confusing invasion of privacy.

I wouldn't say Twitter is the most obvious of social networks, but to try saying Snapchat is anything but the most confusing pile of garbage to ever have been labeled a social network is just bizarre. Snapchat is popular, I'll give you that, but I think it's despite the horrible UI/X, not because of it. People like how easy it is to augment the picture they're taking in Snapchat - that's the core thing that you should look to copy, if you want to copy something from Snapchat.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone Ultra Fold Feature

Foldable iPhone Duo Will Start at $2,000, Won't Launch Until at Least October

Tuesday September 8, 2026 9:45 pm PDT by
Following some recent speculation that Apple could release its foldable phone under the "iPhone Duo" name, it appears that will indeed be the case, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. For months now, the foldable iPhone has generally been referred to as the "iPhone Ultra," even internally, but Apple is apparently going in a different direction for the official name, emphasizing the...
iPhone Ultra Fold Feature

Foldable iPhone Development History and Price Revealed in New Report

Tuesday September 8, 2026 5:55 am PDT by
Former Apple CEO Tim Cook played a major role in the development of the foldable iPhone, which could reach around $3,000 with storage upgrades, according to new details shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Early in the development of the foldable iPhone, the company reportedly targeted a starting retail price of $1,999, hoping to come under the "potentially controversial $2,000 barrier." The...
airpods pro 3 blue

AirPods With Cameras Were Supposed to Debut Today, Now Delayed

Wednesday September 9, 2026 4:35 am PDT by
Apple planned to introduce high-end in-ear AirPods with built-in cameras for analyzing the surrounding environment at today's event, but the launch has been pushed to next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In early August, Gurman said the earbuds were progressing well enough to potentially ship before the end of the year. By mid-August, though, he reported that Apple had pulled the model...
Latest Stories
Create a Custom Pass in the Wallet App on iPhone
Create a Custom Pass in the Wallet App on iPhone
38 minutes ago
How to Check Your Mac's Manufacture Date in macOS 27
How to Check Your Mac's Manufacture Date in macOS 27
4 hours ago
What's Gone in macOS Golden Gate and What's Next in macOS 28
What's Gone in macOS Golden Gate and What's Next in macOS 28
12 hours ago
TestFlight App Gets New iOS 27 Features
TestFlight App Gets New iOS 27 Features
13 hours ago
Google Photos Wardrobe Feature Comes to iOS
Google Photos Wardrobe Feature Comes to iOS
15 hours ago
Apple Music to Host Free Head Trip Festival Livestream
Apple Music to Host Free Head Trip Festival Livestream
16 hours ago
watchOS 27.2 Code Hints at iPhone-Style Screenshot Previews
watchOS 27.2 Code Hints at iPhone-Style Screenshot Previews
18 hours ago
Beats 360 Headphones Now Available in Apple Stores
Beats 360 Headphones Now Available in Apple Stores
18 hours ago
Apple Shares New Video Promoting iOS 27 Parental Controls
Apple Shares New Video Promoting iOS 27 Parental Controls
18 hours ago
Apple Has Announced 12 New Products in the Past Month
Apple Has Announced 12 New Products in the Past Month
19 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
19 hours ago
Here's When Apple TV is Airing Free 'Peanuts' Holiday Specials This Year
Here's When Apple TV is Airing Free 'Peanuts' Holiday Specials This Year
20 hours ago
Square Announces Apple Business Integration
Square Announces Apple Business Integration
21 hours ago
AirPods Pro 3 on Sale for $199 This Week on Amazon
AirPods Pro 3 on Sale for $199 This Week on Amazon
22 hours ago
Qualcomm Announces Renewed Agreement With Apple
Qualcomm Announces Renewed Agreement With Apple
22 hours ago
Apple Confirms iPhone 18 Pro Bug Fix Update is Coming Next Week
Apple Confirms iPhone 18 Pro Bug Fix Update is Coming Next Week
22 hours ago
Full iPhone 4 'Antennagate' Q&A Video Surfaces After 16 Years
Full iPhone 4 'Antennagate' Q&A Video Surfaces After 16 Years
23 hours ago
Meta Did a 'One More Thing' and It's an AI Tamagotchi
Meta Did a 'One More Thing' and It's an AI Tamagotchi
1 day ago
iPhone Handoff in iOS 27: How It Works, Pricing, and Carrier Support
iPhone Handoff in iOS 27: How It Works, Pricing, and Carrier Support
1 day ago
ChatGPT in Siri 'Persistently Underperforming,' Says OpenAI
ChatGPT in Siri 'Persistently Underperforming,' Says OpenAI
1 day ago
You Can Now Try Apple's Unreleased Copland OS in Your Browser
You Can Now Try Apple's Unreleased Copland OS in Your Browser
2 days ago
iOS 27.0.1 is Coming Soon
iOS 27.0.1 is Coming Soon
2 days ago
Apple Releases watchOS 27.0.1 With Fix for Restart Bug
Apple Releases watchOS 27.0.1 With Fix for Restart Bug
2 days ago
Disney+ and Hulu Raise Prices Again, Ad-Free Plans Now $21.49
Disney+ and Hulu Raise Prices Again, Ad-Free Plans Now $21.49
2 days ago
Apple Sports App Updated With Even More Soccer Leagues
Apple Sports App Updated With Even More Soccer Leagues
2 days ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Hits $79.99 on Amazon, Matching Record Low
AirTag 2 4-Pack Hits $79.99 on Amazon, Matching Record Low
2 days ago
Siri AI Coming to HomePod
Siri AI Coming to HomePod
2 days ago
iPhone Air vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
iPhone Air vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
2 days ago
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Will Soon Support Video
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Will Soon Support Video
2 days ago
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Drops to Record Low $599.97 on Amazon [Updated]
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Drops to Record Low $599.97 on Amazon [Updated]
2 days ago