While Elon Musk paid a visit to Apple Park last week for a meeting with Tim Cook, he was not able to get Apple to change its App Store fees (shocker!). As such, The Information reports that Twitter is planning to charge more for its Twitter Blue subscription on iPhone, as a way to offset the 30% cut Apple will take.
Twitter had previously advertised that Twitter Blue would cost $7.99 per month, regardless of where or how a user signed up. The company is now informing employees, however, that this will no longer be the case. When Twitter Blue relaunches, it will cost $7 if a user subscribes through the Twitter website or $11 if they subscribe through the Twitter for iOS app.
Twitter Blue was briefly available to the public last month for $7.99, exclusively on the iPhone with in-app purchases. Twitter pulled the update after its new system for blue checkmarks was heavily abused by impersonators.
Twitter is currently planning to relaunch its Twitter Blue subscription service on Friday, with changes compared to the first version to combat abuse and impersonation. Today’s report recaps what to expect:
The relaunch will include differently-colored badges denoting corporations, government accounts and individuals, as well as features that Twitter hopes will make it more difficult for Blue subscribers to impersonate others, according to a person briefed on the plans.
Prospective Twitter Blue subscribers will not be allowed to change their usernames within seven days before signing up for Blue, and Blue subscribers who change their usernames will temporarily lose their blue badge pending a manual review of the name change, employees were told. Users will also have to provide a phone number for existing and new Blue subscriptions and will not be able to sign up for Blue if their account is fewer than 90 days old.
Do you plan on subscribing to Twitter Blue when it’s available later this week? Let us know down in the comments.
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