X, the company formerly known as Twitter, is moving ahead with its rebrand and releasing new features for paying users.
As part of the platform’s makeover, which was announced by owner Elon Musk last week, TweetDeck has been renamed to XPro. The dashboard allows users to curate how they browse and interact with Twitter using functions such as multiple feeds.
Although the new name is featured on the platform’s login page and sidebar, references to Twitter and its bird logo remain throughout, including in the search bar and controls. Tweetdeck’s social account on X has also been changed to @Pro as part of the overhaul. The update comes just days ahead of TweetDeck’s pivot to a premium service for Twitter subscribers.
Musk’s push to rebrand Twitter has been far from smooth. Not only was the move met with bemusement by users, it has also led to concern from local authorities in Twitter’s native San Francisco.
The company was forced to take down a giant glowing X sign from atop its headquarters in the city on Tuesday after neighbours complained about its intrusive light. Police had previously stopped the firm from removing the old Twitter sign at the building, leaving the platform’s iconic bird logo intact, due to a “misunderstanding”.
Since acquiring Twitter for $44bn in October, Musk has overseen a flurry of divisive changes to the platform.
Before the rebrand, Twitter launched a refreshed subscription service that allowed users to pay to be verified. The perk was previously reserved for accounts deemed as high-profile by Twitter’s former management.
On Wednesday, X began allowing subscribers to hide their blue checkmarks.
The company has updated its support page to reflect the change. “As a subscriber, you can choose to hide your checkmark on your account. The checkmark will be hidden on your profile and posts.”
As the page notes, the blue badge “may still appear in some places even if you choose to hide it”.
The update is a tacit admission of the blowback generated by the paid verification scheme. Many users, including celebs, initially said the move would lead to confusion over the authenticity of verified accounts.
A campaign was later launched by various high-profile users encouraging people to block Twitter Blue subscribers due to their frustration over Musk’s handling of the platform.
absolutely block on sight pic.twitter.com/kDkXP1pddD
— steve job (@dril) November 9, 2022
Twitter itself was forced to briefly halt the rollout of the verification programme after it led to impersonations and scams.
The company is also said to be adding proof of identity to its X Blue subscription. Such a feature could be aimed at the platform’s longstanding problem with bot accounts.
BREAKING: #X is working on ID verification! pic.twitter.com/HPiG42VJHm
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) August 1, 2023
It could also possibly power the financial payments system Musk wants to integrate with X. The entrepreneur has previously suggested he wants to create an all-in-one “super app” that offers everything from social media to banking and visual entertainment.
