Twitter is now testing ways for iOS users to watch YouTube videos directly in their timeline

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It seems Twitter is on a spree of upgrades, with a new way to view YouTube videos without having to leave the app. The iOS version of the Twitter app will let you click and play YouTube videos in your timeline, without losing the place in the conversation you’re having.

That’s a big improvement over the current system, which doesn’t even show you a preview on iOS, so you have to click on the link and go to another screen to start watching. That’s disrupting to the flow of conversation on the social platform, as anyone who’s used the app knows that once you’ve moved away from a tweet, it’s near-impossible to find it again in your feed.

Now, if you’re on iOS, you won’t have that disruption, as you’ll be able to watch embedded YouTube videos inside your feed. Twitter is using the YouTube iFrame Player API for this test, with users in the US, Japan, Canada, and Saudi Arabia able to use the feature, before an eventual worldwide roll-out. Twitter hasn’t said how long they will have it in testing mode before the wider availability.

These changes are likely tied into Twitter’s upcoming “Super Follow” subscription service for creators, which will allow users to publish subscription-only content. The only way that works is if Twitter fixes its quirks over image and video sharing. Expect more changes in the months up to the release of Super Follow.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.