iPhone users to pay $3 more as Twitter relaunches subscription service

Twitter, US-based microblogging and social networking platform, says it will relaunch Twitter Blue, its monthly subscription service, on Monday.

The company, in a tweet on Saturday, said users who subscribe via web will pay $8 per month, while those who subscribe on iOS will pay $11 per month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the “blue verification checkmark”.

This implies that users who subscribe through the microblogging app on their iPhone and other iOS devices instead of the Twitter website, will have to pay $3 more.

The higher price for iOS is reportedly to make up for the 30 percent commission Apple takes off in-app purchases.

The development comes a month after Twitter suspended its paid subscription service following a surge in impersonation of companies and celebrities on the platform.

“We’re relaunching Twitter Blue on Monday – subscribe on web for $8/month or on iOS for $11/month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the blue checkmark,” the tweet reads.

“When you subscribe you’ll get edit tweet, 1080p video uploads, reader mode, and a blue checkmark (after your account has been reviewed).

“We’ll begin replacing that ‘official’ label with a gold checkmark for businesses, and later in the week a grey checkmark for government and multilateral accounts.

“Subscribers will be able to change their handle, display name or profile photo, but if they do they’ll temporarily lose the blue checkmark until their account is reviewed again.”

we’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday – subscribe on web for $8/month or on iOS for $11/month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the blue checkmark 🧵 pic.twitter.com/DvvsLoSO50

— X (@X) December 10, 2022

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Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Twitter, disclosed that the platform would soon delete a total of 1.5 billion inactive accounts.

Musk said most of the accounts may have been deleted by the owners as there have been no tweets or login activities on them for years.

“Twitter will soon start freeing the name space of 1.5 billion accounts,” Musk wrote.

“These are obvious account deletions with no tweets and no log in for years.”

Twitter will soon start freeing the name space of 1.5 billion accounts

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2022

Musk had, on November 28, 2022, accused Apple of threatening to remove Twitter from its app store, but later called it a misunderstanding after meeting with Tim Cook, Apple CEO.

Good conversation. Among other things, we resolved the misunderstanding about Twitter potentially being removed from the App Store. Tim was clear that Apple never considered doing so.

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2022