Twitter is killing several of its TV apps

Twitter is killing several of its TV apps, too
Twitter is closing down its TV apps on Roku, robot TV and Xbox beginning on May 24, the corporate declared this morning. The news of the apps’ closure comes at a time once Twitter is currently attempting to steer its users to its first-party mobile apps and its desktop website by killing off apps employed by a minority of its user base – just like the Twitter for the waterproof app it stops working earlier this year. And additional recently, it's tried to exterminate common third-party waterproof apps with a series of unfriendly API changes.

It’s unclear why this has become Twitter’s agenda. whereas it is a burden for a corporation to support a broader scheme of apps wherever some solely have a distinct segment audience, in some cases those “niche” users are the foremost potent and significant users. And arguably, anyone launching Twitter’s app on their TV should be a rock-ribbed user – as a result of WHO is absolutely observance that a lot of Twitter on their TV?

In terms of the TV apps’ closure, this can be a somewhat abrupt strategy shift. the corporate had been steadily increasing its live streaming video content over the past year, and it saw its TV apps as how to urge that video ahead of a tv audience – and significantly twine cutters – WHO square measure trying to observe major news events, sports matches, and alternative diversion.

The Twitter Roku app was one in every of the later TV apps to arrive, launching simply a year past, following the Sep 2016 launch of the Apple TV, fireplace TV and Xbox One apps. At the time, the corporate touted the app as for how for individuals to “…watch live events and see what individuals square measure talking regarding, keeping them connected to what’s happening.”

It’s possible that none of Twitter’s TV apps have a lot of traction. After all, Twitter didn’t have a lot of within the terms of high-profile exclusive live video content. And on the TV, it's to vie for attention with prime streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.

But these TV apps shutdowns aren’t tied to Twitter’s API changes, we’ve detected. Rather, Twitter has created the choice to exterminate these apps because it works towards GDPR compliance. (Apparently, these apps were unworthy of time and a spotlight thereon front.) additionally, neither Xbox or Roku support a customary frequently supported video player, that created them tougher to take care of. That conjointly came into play with this call.

Not all of Twitter’s TV apps have gotten the cut, though.


Twitter for tvOS (Apple TV) and Twitter for Amazon fireplace TV can still be out there.