Last Friday, users of popular Twitter clients such as Tweetbot, Twitterrific, and Echofon were unable to log into their accounts or view their timelines. At first, it seemed to be a bug in the Twitter API, but it soon became clear that the company had deliberately limited access to third-party apps.
The cause of the issue was not immediately clear, but Twitter soon released a statement indicating that the issue was “deliberate” and that it was “part of an effort to improve the overall experience.” Twitter also said that it was “working quickly to restore access” and that the issue should “be resolved in the near future.”
The statement didn’t provide much insight into why the company had limited access, but the move was likely an attempt to prevent users from accessing the service through third-party clients, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. While some users are happy to use Twitter’s official app, others prefer the feature-rich experiences of third-party clients.
The move also comes as Twitter is reportedly working on a subscription service, which could be intended to compete with the revenue of third-party clients. The company has yet to comment on the speculation, but the restriction of third-party access could be an attempt to push users toward the official app and the upcoming subscription service.
Ultimately, the cause of the issue is still unclear, but it appears that Twitter has deliberately limited access to third-party clients. While it’s possible that the move was part of an effort to improve the overall user experience, it could also be a way to push users towards the company’s official app and an upcoming subscription service.