Twitter is releasing a new feature called “Labs” for its premium subscription service Twitter Blue. Labs will provide Twitter Blue customers with early access to features that Twitter is testing as part of this package, which is currently accessible only in Canada and Australia.
Labs users can now upload files up to 10 minutes in length from their desktop computers. Standard users can only post videos up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds in length at this time. In addition, iOS users may now swipe to pin their favorite direct message conversations to the top of their inbox.
Twitter states that Labs features may eventually be rolled out to the rest of Twitter, become a permanent part of Twitter Blue, or be discontinued based on subscriber feedback.
Labs also allow other internal product teams to submit features, collect early quantitative and qualitative data, then distribute them to a larger audience later. Labs content will evolve as new capabilities are added, the business stated in a statement.
Twitter started a month ago that it aimed to be more experimental when it delivered new products, stressing that it would share its progress with the public and abandon failed ideas, as it did recently with Fleets.
Twitter’s Head of Consumer Product at the time, Kayvon Beykpour, stated, “We believe that if we don’t occasionally slow things down, then we’re not taking large enough risks.”
A Twitter Blue subscription costs $3.49 CAD and $4.50 AUD in Canada and Australia, respectively. The membership grants Twitter users access to premium services, such as tools for organizing bookmarks and an “Undo Tweet” function, which appears to be the closest thing Twitter will offer to the frequently desired “edit” button. Twitter Blue also includes a reading mode option.