Upcoming Twitter Changes to Disable Key Features in Third-Party Apps [Updated]

Twitter is making changes to its API on June 19, and third-party Twitter clients are worried about the impact and Twitter's lack of communication about the issue.

The developers behind popular third-party Twitter apps that include Tweetbot, Twitterrific, Talon, and Tweetings today teamed up to warn users about the upcoming changes and to hopefully spur Twitter to action.

On June 19, Twitter plans to remove several streaming service APIs that are used by third-party apps. Disabling these APIs will prevent third-party Twitter apps from sending push notifications and refreshing Twitter timelines automatically.

If you use an app like Talon, Tweetbot, Tweetings, or Twitterrific, there is no way for its developer to fix these issues.

We are incredibly eager to update our apps. However, despite many requests for clarification and guidance, Twitter has not provided a way for us to recreate the lost functionality. We've been waiting for more than a year.

Twitter is replacing its current streaming APIs with a new Account Activity API, which is in beta testing, but third-party developers have not been given access. With access to the Account Activity APIs, third-party Twitter clients say they might be able to enable some push notifications, but Twitter has also provided no detail on pricing. Automatic refresh of the timeline is set to be disabled entirely.

Automatic refresh of your timeline just won't work: there is no web server on your mobile device or desktop computer that Twitter can contact with updates. Since updating your timeline with other methods is rate-limited by Twitter, you will see delays in real-time updates during sporting events and breaking news.

The developers behind Tweetbot, Twitterrific, Talon, and Tweetings are asking customers to contact the @TwitterDev account to correct the situation and to use the #BreakingMyTwitter hashtag to spread awareness.

Update: Twitter has responded to customers unhappy with the changes coming to third-party apps. Twitter plans to delay the scheduled June 19th date for the deprecation of the existing APIs, and it says developers will have at least 90 days before the APIs are retired after being provided with access to the Account Activity API.

Last year we announced our plan to retire Site Streams & User Streams, and replace them with the Account Activity API (currently in beta). We are delaying the scheduled June 19th deprecation date.
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) April 6, 2018

As always, we’re committed to providing ample time to migrate. We will provide at least 90 days notice of deprecation date from when the Account Activity API becomes generally available to all developers. More specifics on timing to come.
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) April 6, 2018

Tags: Twitter, Tweetbot, Twitterrific

Top Rated Comments

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crichton007

24 weeks ago

I've said it before but I'll say it again: If Twitter makes me use their first party app rather than a third party one I'll stop using Twitter.

Rating: 18 Votes

jclo

24 weeks ago

Hot take: The native app works well and the third party apps are garbage. I’ve used them and found them a subpar experience. All for this.

Even if you don't like third-party Twitter apps on iOS, there's no solid Mac alternative, which is a major problem in this situation.

Rating: 11 Votes

turbineseaplane

24 weeks ago

Hot take: The native app works well and the third party apps are garbage. I’ve used them and found them a subpar experience. All for this.

Are you just hoping to create controversy?
You can't honestly be serious…

Several of the third-party apps absolutely destroy everything Twitter offers themselves

Rating: 7 Votes

Woodstockie

24 weeks ago

I marked this date in my calendar now to stop using Twitter.

Rating: 6 Votes

Cougarcat

24 weeks ago

Twitter needs everyone to use 1st party applications because that's how they can extract the most usage data from users and most effectively deliver ads / promoted tweets. If you're on a 3rd party app, it's more challenging for Twitter to monetize you.

It's only more challenging because they designed it that way. They could easily make API's require ads or promoted tweets if they wanted.

Rating: 6 Votes

neverendingscot

24 weeks ago

Hot take: The native app works well and the third party apps are garbage. I’ve used them and found them a subpar experience. All for this.

The official app is the worst. Ads, the stupid "you may have missed" thing or whatever the hell it is, always showing me in my timeline when someone likes a tweet. I don't give a **** if someone likes a ****ing tweet, I didn't follow that person to see what they like, I followed to see what they post.

Rating: 5 Votes

netwalker

24 weeks ago

To be fair, if Twitter was a better run company there never would have been any third-party apps. The latest iterations of their apps have gotten a lot better, thankfully, but I'll still miss Tweetbot when it's gone.

One reason Twitter grew once was because of the open API and the possibility to integrate with them. They owe a lot to all those developers and companies that made Twitter popular. But seems to be the typical story. Startup grows thanks to community and developers, then they close the doors and try to cash in.

Rating: 5 Votes

neverendingscot

24 weeks ago

I've said it before but I'll say it again: If Twitter makes me use their first party app rather than a third party one I'll stop using Twitter.

I have refused for forever to use the Twitter official app. I hate it. Everything about it sucks. I'll just have to consider abandoning Twitter if the **** hits the fan like this article indicates is likely. No auto refresh alone is a killer.

Rating: 5 Votes

MaximizedAction

24 weeks ago

Even if you don't like third-party Twitter apps on iOS, there's no solid Mac alternative, which is a major problem in this situation.

I dig Twitter’s own tweetdeck quite a lot. Works from the browser, hence no app required on Mac or PC.
But I would like something like that on iOS as an app. Sadly, I haven’t found one that works like tweetdeck.

Rating: 4 Votes

macintoshmac

24 weeks ago

Hot take: The native app works well and the third party apps are garbage. I’ve used them and found them a subpar experience. All for this.

Do you like the promoted ads and irrelevant tweets that come up in the first party app?

Ever since I took to Twitterific and TweetBot, I get ZERO ads, and only some of the stuff from people I follow. The timeline is better to follow. First party app, I would have a barrage in the timeline about all the likes and what not.

Rating: 4 Votes

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