Chirp for Twitter Brings Back Microblogging Platform to Apple Watch

People who miss sending or reading tweets via their Apple Watches will find a friend in the new app called Chirp for Twitter.

Developer Will Bishop added the v1.1 update to the iOS app on Monday and included an array of staple Twitter functions such as composing tweets, highlighting tweet URLs, and mentioning Twitter friends, including those on the user’s contact list. Bishop also added some interface customization options that will allow Apple Watch users to hide some sections of the app UI.

There are also some features exclusive to the Chirp Pro app such as Twitter Direct Messages and Twitter Lists. Note that all these functions can all be done through the Apple Watch.

These substantial updates arrived just a few weeks after the app’s official launch on iOS. And, so far, it is garnering positive feedback, especially from Apple Watch users. As of this writing, Chirp for Twitter has a 4.8/5 rating on the iTunes store.

Based on screenshots and previews of the app, its Apple Watch UI does not seem to compromise the important elements of using Twitter. Users can also view hashtags, photos, shortened URLs, and the Trends page. The app also has one-tap retweet and like buttons.

Many Apple Watch users highly appreciate the app simply because Twitter has no official app for the smartwatch platform. So considering that Twitter is going to impose some restrictions on the services available to third-party client apps, TechCrunch noted that Bishop’s release of Chirp for Twitter is a bold move.

However, Bishop's motivation in developing Chirp is simply the absence of a native Twitter app and the growing demand for it on the Apple Watch. “Seeing as so many people were disappointed when Twitter pulled their official app, it only made sense to at least try,” the Australian developer said. “A lot of people think using your watch for more than 30 seconds is ridiculous, but I figure if people want to use it, let them.”