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Twitter for Android beta A/B testing bottom navigation bar

Last year, Twitter for Android received a major redesign that better embraced Material and other rounded interface elements. The latest significant tweak switches to a bottom bar like many of Google’s apps today.

This A/B test is currently live for some users on the latest beta (version 7.43) of the Android client. The new bottom bar is identical to the current four tab layout with no visual difference whatsoever. A blue highlight of the icon notes what tab users are currently viewing, but the app loses the existing blue line indicator.

As part of this change, users on Reddit are reporting that you cannot swipe between tabs like on the current implementation. The app also appears to adopt a light navigation bar if the “day” theme is in use. However, one screenshot show a dark bar, likely suggesting that the interface is still in development.

The change is unsurprising given the long-running trend in Android apps. It should particularly aid in making the top of the app less crowded.

This test does not appear to be widely rolled out as most beta users still see the current tabbed interface. Meanwhile, it is not default in the current alpha (version 7.44), likely hinting that we are still several weeks away from a full release.


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com