Twitterrific Outlines Changes to Push Notifications and Live Streaming Ahead of Twitter API Updates - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Twitterrific Outlines Changes to Push Notifications and Live Streaming Ahead of Twitter API Updates

by

Twitterrific today updated its Twitter clients for iOS and Mac devices to implement some changes to the way the service works ahead of upcoming API changes that will go live on August 16, 2018.

Starting on that date, Twitterrific says that its iOS app will no longer be able to receive and display native notifications. Users will not be notified when someone likes their tweet, quotes a tweet, replies to their tweet, sends a direct message, retweets, or follows them.

twitterrificsad
As a result, Twitterrific's Today center widget and Apple Watch app, which rely on these features, are being retired.

Users will continue to receive push notifications until August 16, but after that date, the feature will vanish. Twitterrific is removing the Push Notification in-app purchase for new users.

Twitter's upcoming changes also remove live streaming for third-party apps on both iOS and Mac, which will impact how Twitterrific works. Once the API is dismantled, tweets and direct messages will be delayed by a minute or two.

As of today's update, Twitterrific says the apps will still attempt to live stream tweets, but will revert to refreshing every two minutes if it is unable to connect to a live stream. Live streaming will also continue to be available until August 2018.

In most use cases you probably won't notice the difference, except in cases like live events or with popular searches that update frequently. On the plus side, this change means that Lists can finally auto-refresh themselves like other timelines - something that had been sorely missing for a long time.

For users who want to continue to get push notifications, Twitterrific recommends installing the official Twitter client for notifications while continuing to use Twitterrific for everything else.

Twitter shared full details on its upcoming API changes back in May. Twitter is offering premium and enterprise API access to developers, but prices are prohibitively high. There is no replacement for the current live streaming API, which Twitter says is only used by 1 percent of monthly active apps.

Tags: Twitter, Twitteriffic

Top Rated Comments

D
Dave-Z
102 months ago
I keep reading that Twitter is struggling to grow their user base and having difficulty solidifying who/what they want to be; yet they shoot themselves in the foot by intentionally alienating themselves from the very people who helped them get this far.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whyamihere Avatar
whyamihere
102 months ago
Twitter has crapped all over the developers that made their platform popular for a while now. Here's the final twist of the knife. :(
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hobsgrg Avatar
hobsgrg
102 months ago
No, Twitterrific would have had to pay higher fees to Twitter for access to the API that allows Twitterrific to display push notifications.

Technically Twitter still offers developers the functionality, but they repriced it so high that it's impossible for any 3rd party developer to afford. From what I read, the least expensive licensing option Twitter offers developers now is $2899/month for up to 250 users, or $11.59 per user per month.
It's priced for corporate users who use a 3rd party client to run and analyse company Twitter account(s) who use Twitter for marketing or support and can afford those sort of prices if it gives them tools and information they need. Unfortunately there is no pricing for just running alternative client for regular users.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
DaveOP
102 months ago
I suspect this will heavily decrease my engagement with Twitter. I use it mostly for news and close friends now, and it sounds like the notifications being removed will kill the latter.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
sykeward
102 months ago
Wait, you had to pay more to receive push notifications from Tiwtteriffic? What robbery. Every other app offered that feature standard.
No, Twitterrific would have had to pay higher fees to Twitter for access to the API that allows Twitterrific to display push notifications.

Technically Twitter still offers developers the functionality, but they repriced it so high that it's impossible for any 3rd party developer to afford. From what I read, the least expensive licensing option Twitter offers developers now is $2899/month for up to 250 users, or $11.59 per user per month.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
MhzDoesMatter
102 months ago
Twitter has had 3 party clients a lot longer than I thought it would. Outside apps definitely built the platform but there's no way a modern social network can let 3rd parties control and monetize access to the service. What seems unbecoming to me is dragging this out and making it seem like they're not explicitly trying to end 3rd party support.

Here's to Twitteriffic, Tweetbot, Echofon, Tweetie, Tweetdeck and the other clients I used back in the day.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

X twitter logo

XChat App Now Available

Friday April 24, 2026 1:46 pm PDT by
X today launched XChat, a standalone messaging app for the iPhone and iPad, available now on the App Store. XChat allows users to chat with anyone on X in a private, focused space separate from the main X app. At launch, the app supports direct messaging and group chats, audio and video calls, and file sharing. X claims all messages are end-to-end encrypted and PIN protected, with no ads or...
Read Full Article • 41 comments
Apple TV Thumb 3

Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV

Thursday April 23, 2026 12:08 pm PDT by
There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026. The next...
Read Full Article • 147 comments
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Monday April 20, 2026 7:13 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Read Full Article • 48 comments