Twitter Blue and the Reinvention of Delivering News

Adapting to an increasingly mobile-driven world

One of my favorite phones to use in the last few years was the LG G8 ThinQ. This was a phone that was panned and dismissed in most reviews, with noted YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee calling it a “master of none.” I always attributed the criticism of this phone to LG not identifying an asset and talking up a novelty feature instead. The “hook” feature of this phone was something that LG called the Z Camera, which allowed for authentication through the user’s veins. It was a gimmick and didn’t work well at all. But what this feature did allow for was secure face unlock on Android in addition to a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, granting multiple layers of device security. I have always thought that the device would have been better off if they emphasized that, as opposed to unlocking the phone with your veins.

There is a lesson to be learned from the G8, however. That lesson is to emphasize a feature or talking point that brings value to the user rather than one that is designed to get headlines. It’s a lesson that I think also applies to Twitter and its new subscription service, Twitter Blue. This service offers users a variety of features, such as undoing tweets and customizing the Twitter app icon. But behind those superficial main features…