Twitter rolls out adjustments for some customers forward of Blue Blue launch

Elon Musk’s Twitter account displayed on a phone screen and the Twitter logo displayed on a laptop screen can be seen in this illustrative photo taken in Krakow, Poland on November 1, 2022 .

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Twitter began rolling out changes to its platform for some users on Saturday in preparation for the launch of its revamped subscription service, Twitter Blue.

Updates described in the App Store confirmed that users can purchase Twitter Blue and get a blue tick for $7.99 per month. The updates are listed as available as described in the Apple Online Store for users in the US, Canada, Australia, UK and New Zealand.

Esther Crawford, director of product management at the social media company, said in a series of tweets that the new version of the subscription service isn’t available to everyone just yet, but a “small early batch” could see updates to the platform.

“The new Blue isn’t live yet – the sprint to our launch is ongoing, but some people may see us making updates because we test and drive changes in real-time,” she wrote. “The Twitter team is legendary. New Blue… coming soon!”

Elon Musk, who became Twitter’s new owner on Oct. 28, has put forward a series of ideas for a new user verification process for Twitter, which he acquired for $44 billion.

In a previous tweet thread, Musk criticized the current system, which gives blue tick or verification to high profile users such as politicians, members of the press, executives and organizations. In the past, the tick has let readers know that the account is legitimate. Other social networks, like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, have similar verification systems.

Musk said he plans to “power people” by offering verification to everyone on the platform via Twitter Blue for $8 a month. He said subscribers get priority on mentions, replies, and searches, get half as many ads, and tweet long videos and audio.

These changes were confirmed in the updated listing on the App Store on Saturday. The updated version of the app also promised Blue members “a better reading experience” and “early access to select new features.”

Musk said in a tweet on Saturday that Twitter Blue will be rolled out globally once it’s confirmed working in the first few countries.

The changes follow a previous report by The Vergine that said Musk was considering charging up to $19.99 per month for the subscription. Twitter employees working on the project were reportedly told they had until November 7 to launch the feature or risked being fired, according to the report.

November 8th is the date of the US midterm elections