Or is Windows on the outs with Twitter?
By Stephen Pate – Any way you slice it, the Twitter app does not work properly in Windows 8.1.
Microsoft is rolling out Windows Phone 8.1 these days and there is plenty to like about the update. You can customize the home screen with more colors, columns and backgrounds. If you live in the USA, you get Cortana and early version of what a personal assistant can do.
Twitter is missing from the share list in Windows Phone 8.1
What you won’t get is the ability to Tweet a story you like. Gone, taken away, lost in the dust to Windows Phone 8.1 is the chance to Tweet your friends without hand-to-hand combat.
The link to Twitter is even broken inside apps that have a Twitter share button.
“Looks like the feature is not available,” tweeted WindowsPhoneSupport @WinPhoneSupport. “As a workaround, you can copy & paste the URL into your tweet.”
Gee thanks Microsoft. You’ve taken a simple task and made it complicated.
From inside a Windows Phone app, you cannot cut and paste a URL so that’s not useful.
From an IE site, trying to copy URLs on smartphones has to be an exercise in frustration. When I get the right feel for the copy touch, grab the URL and then successfully paste the link into the Twitter app it reminds me not to try that again unless the story is really great. Perhaps that’s the Microsoft plan: slow down all these needless Tweets.
Microsoft did something to break Twitter in Windows 8.1 desktop and Surface as well. As I reported in Annoying Bugs in Windows 8.1 Charms Share Does Not Work Charms Share of Twitter feeds does not work.
Considering that Microsoft has failed to reach agreement with Google on YouTube, that makes the 2nd and 3rd most popular social media sites broken for Windows 8.1 users. Top 10 Social Networking Websites & Forums.
Twitter update
There were rumors in April that a new Twitter app would appear and fix the Windows Phone 8.1 problems. The update arrived on July 18th, 2014 as Twitter mobile app version 3.2.0.1. There are plenty of new features but it still does not integrate with the Windows People app.
Frankly the problem may lie with the People App which is an unfinished part of the Windows 8 plan. If I could send one message to Microsoft it would be to finish Windows 8 before they move on to Windows 8 Threshold.
Twitter mobile app update 3.2.0.1
Updates in 3.2.0.1 of Twitter mobile included “enhancements to sharing and uploading photos:
- Tag your friends in a photo to start a conversation
- Capture the moment by uploading multiple photos to a single Tweet
- Tweets with Twitter photos, Vine videos and other select content now show a preview in your home timeline
- You can reply, retweet, favorite or follow someone straight from a Tweet in your home timeline.
- Share photos through Direct Messages. (Microsoft Store)
Since Microsoft is turning a deaf ear to the issue, perhaps we should tweet Twitter mobile and support. @twittermobile @Support
For more on Windows 8.1 update, see Microsoft.
Follow me on Twitter at @sdpate or on Facebook at NJN Network, OyeTimes and IMA News Buzz. You can also subscribe and receive notifications of new stories by email. We do not share your email with advertisers.
Leave a Reply