Elon Musk’s X Renames TweetDeck to XPro in Rebranding Exercise – Details and Impact

Elon Musk-Owned X Renames TweetDeck to XPro in Rebranding Effort

Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, has renamed TweetDeck to XPro in an ongoing rebranding exercise of the social media service.

The company has adopted the @Pro handle instead of @TweetDeck for the tool. However, many parts of the tool, including the help page, still have “Twitter” and “TweetDeck” mentions.

The renaming is not surprising given Musk had hinted about the change last week. At that time, he had added that XPro will come with “a wide range of psy op plugins.” As it is the case with many of Musk’s posts, there were no details about what kind of plugins those might be.

XPro Renaming Announcement on Twitter

Name is changing to XPro. Will come with a wide range of psy op plugins.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 28, 2023

Early last month, after many users were unable to access parts of TweetDeck, the company started pushing them to the new version of the tool. Later, it also announced that in 30 days, only verified users would be able to access TweetDeck. Since this announcement was made on July 4, X will expectedly make XPro/TweetDeck a paid-only feature in the next few days.

TweetDeck Upgrade Announcement on Twitter

We have just launched a new, improved version of TweetDeck. All users can continue to access their saved searches & workflows via https://t.co/2WwL3hNVR2 by selecting “Try the new TweetDeck” in the bottom left menu.

Some notes on getting started and the future of the product…

— Support (@Support) July 3, 2023

Musk & Co. has been busy with the site’s rebranding, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. The company took over the @X handle from the previous owner without any compensation or prior notice. Additionally, Apple seemingly granted an exception to the social media company to use a single character as the app name. Typically, the iPhone maker prohibits developers from using a single-character app name on the App Store. Musk-owned company was also asked to remove the flashing ‘X’ sign from its office building after The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection received complaints about it over the weekend.

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Social Media Company X Allows Paid Users to Hide Verification Checkmarks: Twitter Blue Rebranding

Twitter’s XBlue Allows Paid Users to Hide Verification Checkmarks

Twitter, now known as X, has introduced a new feature that allows paid users to hide their verification checkmarks. Previously, the social media company introduced paid verification with the launch of Twitter Blue, which has now been rebranded as XBlue during the company’s ongoing rebranding exercise.

The help page for paid subscriptions, titled ‘About Twitter Blue’, has been updated by the company. It states that even if users hide their checkmarks, they might still be visible in some places, although no further details about these places have been provided by the company.

“As a subscriber, you can choose to hide your checkmark on your account. The checkmark will be hidden on your profile and posts. The checkmark may still appear in some places and some features could still reveal you have an active subscription. Some features may not be available while your checkmark is hidden. We will continue to evolve this feature to make it better for you,” reads the help page.

This new feature allows users to benefit from subscription features without displaying that they have a verified account. The option to hide the checkmark can be found in the “Profile customization” section of account settings.

In March, Twitter was reported to be working on a feature to hide checkmarks using ID verification by app reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.

#Twitter keeps working on the ability to control everything related to account verification and identity by adding the option to show or hide your blue checkmark on your profile pic.twitter.com/6uTjBON21N

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) March 21, 2023

There was significant controversy surrounding the introduction of paid verification as it made it difficult to distinguish between legacy verified accounts of notable individuals and users who had paid for the checkmark.

In April, Twitter removed legacy checkmarks, only to reinstate them later for top accounts, regardless of whether they had been paid for or not.

Since the rebranding, X has introduced various features to incentivize users to engage more on the platform. These include a 10,000-character limit for posts, a 3-hour-long video upload limit, fewer ads on the timeline, and most recently, ad revenue sharing for subscribed users. Additionally, in May, the platform enabled encrypted direct messages for verified users.

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Tinder to Launch High-End Membership and Gen Z-Focused Product Refresh, Says Match Group

Tinder to Launch New High-End Membership and Product Refresh

Tinder is preparing to launch a new “high-end” membership later this fall as well as a product refresh aimed at better catering to Gen Z users, according to parent company Match Group, as part of its Q2 2023 earnings release on Tuesday.

The new Tinder membership was confirmed earlier this year by Tinder CPO Mark Van Ryswyk, who had then dubbed the $500-per-month offering “Tinder Vault” in an interview with Fast Company. As inspiration for the new product, Van Ryswyk cited learnings from Match Group’s July 2022 acquisition of another high-end dating app, The League, which could cost users up to $1,000 per week.

The exec said that indicated there’s a market for daters who are willing to pay for quality matches and experiences that lead them into new relationships. But he indicated the product would rely on technology, not human matchmakers.

The company shared today it expects the initial pricing for the new membership to be “substantially higher” than Tinder’s current offerings, given the extra benefits it entails. In addition, the product will have limited availability, making it a more exclusive offering. Further details weren’t available in the company’s shareholder letter but may come up during the Q&A in tomorrow’s call with investors.

The company also noted Tinder would roll out an “important” product refresh in the second half of the year with a focus on better catering to its core Gen Z audience. This refresh will include features like prompts, quizzes, and conversation starters, as well as leverage AI to surface the right content to the right people.

“While the core Swipe feature will remain central to the Tinder experience, the changes are meant to make the app more dynamic and engaging,” Tinder’s shareholder letter reads. “We expect these features to begin rolling out in select markets later this month.”

In the quarter, Match Group generated revenue of $830 million, up 4% year-over-year, and forecast next quarter’s revenue of $875-885 million, citing Tinder’s return to growth. The company had been expected to report $811.4 million in revenue, according to FactSet.

Tinder was responsible for $475 million in direct revenue in Q2, up 6% year-over-year, which the company attributed to its strategic decision to focus the first half of the year on optimizations and a new marketing campaign, “It Starts with a Swipe,” that translated into “revenue acceleration and improved user growth,” it said.

The campaign helped in terms of new user signups and in encouraging lapsed users, including women, to rejoin.

The company also referenced new U.S. pricing optimizations introduced at the end of Q1 and uplift from popular weekly subscription packages as aiding in Tinder’s growth.

The downside of the pricing optimizations at Tinder was a decline in payers, which dropped 4% year-over-year to 10.5 million, as conversions decreased. Match Group payers overall declined 5% year-over-year to 15.6 million.

Among other earnings highlights, Hinge was cited as one of the top three dating apps by downloads in 14 markets globally. The app also pulled in $90 million in revenue in the quarter, up 35% year-over-year, with 1.2 million payers.

The company also reported operating income of $215 million, representing an operating margin of 26%. Adjusted operating income was $301 million, representing a margin of 36%.

Match Group’s earnings call will be hosted on Wednesday, 8:30 AM ET.

of Tinder’s Updates

Tinder, the popular dating app owned by Match Group, has announced plans to launch a new “high-end” membership and product refresh in the coming months. The new membership, which is expected to be priced at a premium level, aims to provide users with quality matches and experiences that lead them into new relationships. Drawing inspiration from Match Group’s acquisition of The League, another high-end dating app, Tinder’s CPO Mark Van Ryswyk believes there is a market for daters who are willing to pay for the best dating services.

The new membership is expected to come with additional benefits and limited availability, making it an exclusive offering. While exact pricing details were not provided, the company anticipates the new membership to be substantially higher than Tinder’s current offerings. Further information may be revealed during the company’s upcoming investor call.

In addition to the new membership, Tinder plans to roll out a product refresh to better cater to its core Gen Z audience. The refresh will introduce features such as prompts, quizzes, and conversation starters, as well as leverage AI technology to deliver personalized content to users. By making the app more dynamic and engaging, Tinder aims to enhance the user experience and attract more users.

Encouraging

Tinder’s strategic decisions and marketing efforts have yielded positive results. In the second quarter, Match Group generated $830 million in revenue, a 4% increase from the previous year. The company expects Tinder’s return to growth to contribute to next quarter’s revenue forecast of $875-885 million. The success can be attributed to optimizations made by Tinder in the first half of the year and the launch of their marketing campaign, “It Starts with a Swipe.” The campaign not only attracted new user signups but also encouraged previous users, especially women, to rejoin the platform.

Tinder’s growth was further supported by pricing optimizations introduced in the United States and popular weekly subscription packages. However, these optimizations also led to a decline in payers, with a 4% drop to 10.5 million year-over-year. Match Group payers overall declined 5% to 15.6 million.

Hinge, another dating app owned by Match Group, experienced significant growth as well. It was ranked as one of the top three dating apps by downloads in 14 markets globally and generated $90 million in revenue in the quarter, a 35% increase from the previous year.

Conclusion

Tinder’s upcoming high-end membership and product refresh demonstrate the company’s commitment to providing quality experiences for their users. With a focus on catering to the Gen Z audience and leveraging technology, Tinder aims to stay at the forefront of the dating app market. The positive earnings results and growth of other Match Group-owned apps indicate a promising future for the company. The investor call on Wednesday will likely shed more light on the details of Tinder’s new membership and product refresh, as well as the company’s overall strategies moving forward.

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How Allo Can Help You Create a Mindful Money Practice | Personal Finance with a Sense of Fulfillment

Allo: The Headspace for Personal Finance

Allo, a new financial app that can be described as Headspace for personal finance, is aiming to help users meaningfully engage with their finances without becoming overwhelmed with numbers and spending. The idea behind Allo is to help users create a mindful money practice that allows them to approach their earnings, spending, saving, investing, and giving with a sense of fulfillment.

Founders and Inspiration

Founded in 2021, Allo was created by Will Choi and Paul Montoy-Wilson, who both previously founded Aviate, an intelligent homescreen startup that was acquired by AsumeTech parent company Yahoo in 2014. With over 15 years of experience in software, the duo wanted to build a company that helps people create positive habits with their finances.

Beyond Budgeting

Unlike budgeting apps that only focus on spending categories like bills, insurance, and transportation, Allo includes categories like nature, family, giving, working out, and healthy eating. Users can choose to have a daily, weekly, or monthly check-in with the app to become more aware of their finances.

“There are plenty of apps out there that will help optimize your net worth or help you save an extra dollar per month and tell you you overspent on a coffee,” said Paul Montoy-Wilson. “If there’s a budgeting app out there that works for you, that’s great. We’re not trying to take users from budgeting apps that they love. But, the reality is that those budgeting apps don’t work for most people.”

The Allo Experience

To get started with the app, users complete Allo’s introductory course and learn from experts on how to feel more peaceful, confident, and grateful when it comes to money. The app asks users to select a few values they want to focus on, such as health, generosity, exercise, and kids. These values are used to tag different transactions during check-ins.

During check-ins, users are encouraged to reflect on both positive and negative transactions. The app prompts users to appreciate transactions that made them happy, such as spending on family or well-being. Users can also reflect on transactions they want to change, making notes or setting goals to align their spending with their values.

“A core principle of Allo is being aware of your numbers, but also being aware of your emotions,” said Montoy-Wilson. “What we’re trying to do with Allo is make it easier, through bite-sized chunks, to engage with your finances and start changing your relationship with money. And then making it easier to keep that practice going over and over again.”

Availability and Future Plans

Allo has been tested by around 500 people across the United States over the past year. The app is now available to download on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store. It offers a free 14-day trial and costs $6.99 per month. The company currently does not have any plans to expand beyond the United States and is self-funded.

Allo’s goal is to remain independent, and currently, there are no plans to raise funding.

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ReBokeh: The Startup Creating an App to Improve Vision for People with Low Vision

Welcome back to Found, where we get the stories behind the startups.

This week, Becca and Dom are joined by Rebecca Rosenberg, the founder and CEO of ReBokeh, a startup that created an app that applies filters to help people with low vision see better.

Rebecca shared her own experience with having low vision and how it inspired the creation of the ReBokeh app. She also discussed the challenges of building a startup as an undergraduate student, especially when the pandemic forced everything to go remote in 2020.

One of the interesting aspects of the discussion was the multiple revenue streams that the app is expected to have. Rebecca explored different possibilities and strategies for monetizing the product.

However, the journey of pitching the product to venture capitalists (VCs) proved to be a challenge. Some VCs did not believe in the existence of the disability Rebecca has, which posed unique hurdles for the startup. Rebecca talked about her experiences and how she overcame these obstacles.

To hear more stories from founders each week, subscribe to Found.

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3. Via email: found@techcrunch.com

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Reddit Rolls Out Updates for Logged-Out Users: Improved Performance, Search Results, and Communities

Reddit Rolls Out Website Updates for Logged-Out Users

Reddit is rolling out a number of updates to its website for logged-out users, including improved performance, a more helpful search results page, and better communities and related post suggestions.

The company said in a blog post on Monday that people are coming to the Reddit website from different search engines to find relevant content on a topic posted by users, so it is improving the experience for the folks visiting the service occasionally or for the first time.

Improved Search Results Page and Performance

Reddit has simplified the search result page on the site with a new layout. On mobile, the search result page now prioritizes posts over other elements, enhancing the user experience. The company has also made design changes to the landing page to allow users to browse through content without searching.

Additionally, Reddit is adding performance adjustments to the logged-out site experience to make its pages load twice as fast as before. This will significantly enhance the overall browsing experience for users.

Enhanced Design and User Experience

On desktop, Reddit’s new site shows a sticky sidebar, enabling users to scroll through the content independently and highlighting relevant communities or posts. When logged-out users visit a subreddit’s landing page, they will see information about the community, such as the community banner, description, number of members, and rules in the sidebar. The company specified that while many subreddits have custom styling, logged-out users won’t see that at the moment.

The platform has also made design changes to increase engagement and readability. The posts now have increased title sizes with an improved inset for images and videos, creating a visually appealing experience for users.

Mobile and Desktop Updates

The latest updates will be available across both mobile and desktop web experiences, providing a consistent user experience across different devices. However, some users have pointed out an annoying popup on the mobile site that asks users if they want to open a post in the app.

Further Plans and Feedback

Last week, Reddit announced that it is testing its own verification mark through ‘official’ badges with limited accounts. The platform also promised to introduce new accessibility features for its apps in August to make them screen reader-friendly. However, these changes have received mixed reactions from users protesting Reddit’s API changes, which forced many third-party apps to shut down.

Reddit’s change to accommodate users without an account is a welcome change, especially considering Twitter briefly forcing users to have an account to see any tweet. As users increasingly use Reddit as a search engine, the platform’s change to its web experience provides another surface for the company to show ads and focus on profitability.

Conclusion

Reddit’s updates for logged-out users aim to provide a better browsing experience, improve search functionality, and enhance user engagement. With performance improvements, simplified layouts, and design enhancements, Reddit is catering to the needs of both occasional and first-time visitors. These updates will be available on both mobile and desktop platforms, ensuring a consistent experience across devices. However, user feedback will be crucial in shaping future improvements as Reddit continues to evolve its web experience.

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Removal of Giant Illuminated X Logo from Billionaire Elon Musk’s X Messaging App Headquarters in San Francisco Sparks Controversy

The Giant “X” Logo Removed from San Francisco Tower Housing Elon Musk’s X Messaging App

Giant Logo Removed from High-Rise Tower

The giant illuminated “X” logo has been removed from the top of a high-rise tower in San Francisco that houses the headquarters of billionaire Elon Musk’s X messaging app, formerly known as Twitter.

Complaints Registered Regarding the Logo

The city’s Department of Buildings registered 24 complaints related to the large banner, which was placed on the roof of the company’s headquarters in downtown San Francisco on Friday, and angered neighbors who complained about the annoying lights for them.

Headquarters to Remain in San Francisco

This step came in the wake of a post written by Musk, who acquired the company in October for $44 billion, in which he announced that the headquarters of the company, which had recently changed its name to (X), would remain in San Francisco despite the “death spiral, as company after company left (the city) or leave it.”

“Beautiful San Francisco … even though others abandon you … we will always be your friends,” Musk wrote.

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