Twitter Tests Opening All Web links in Safari 'Reader Mode' on iOS

Twitter for iOS is currently testing a new way of opening web links in Safari with the Reader mode automatically turned on (via TechCrunch).

Safari's built-in Reader mode, usually activated by tapping an icon in the browser's search bar, enables users to load a distraction-free version of websites minus formatting, ads, links, and so on, with font type and size custom options available.

The Guardian was the first to notice that all the links they were clicking on in the Twitter app defaulted to the Reader mode. Twitter later confirmed to TechCrunch that it is testing the feature with select users, the aim being "to refine the product and make Twitter easier to use", according to a spokesperson.

The downside to any potential rollout is that content publishers can't customize the Reader view of their site, nor will they be able to generate ad revenue from page views that come from Twitter links. And as pointed out by The Guardian, some sites do not display correctly in Reader mode, potentially detracting from the user experience.

Twitter developers are said to be testing a series of changes to the social media network, in an attempt to improve the service after the company's recent internal turmoil, such as layoffs, the shutdown of Vine, and its much-publicized failure to find a buyer.