Twitter is beginning to accept applications from users to test a new beta program on the platform.

The company is trying out new ways to display tweets, which can be tested within the beta in the coming weeks.

The beta will include brand new features such as speech bubbles which will show whether a user is online or not, similar to Facebook and Instagram.

Other features include indenting and various colours for tweets and replies from followers and those you follow. Users are able to sign up for the program and test potential features before they roll out to the public.

Originally, it was reported that other features like a status availability will come at a later date. It wouldn’t be ready at the time the beta program begins, but much like other social media platforms, status availability will show a colored bubble next to a person’s name when they’re on or offline.

However, Twitter later stated that this wasn’t happening, only how tweets were displayed was being worked on at the current moment.

Moving forward

Twitter has previously stated that other changes could still be coming, including the implementation of an edit button.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey commented on the possibility of tweets having an edit button stating: “a lot of people want the edit button because they want to quickly fix a mistake they made. That’s a lot more achievable than allowing people to edit any tweet all the way back in time. We have been considering this for a while and we have to do in the right way. We can’t just rush it out. We can’t make something which is distracting or takes anything away from the public record.”

Like any kind of change or update to Twitter, the result could really affect the platform and how we interact with it. With so many people using Twitter on a daily basis and for a number of reasons, those at Twitter have to think and plan carefully about what changes they make.