One benefit of Twitter is that the service makes it easier to keep up with current events, but it can be difficult to follow an event because you've got to hunt down the right hashtag or user. Today Twitter announced that it's working to make it even easier to follow big news as it happens.
Twitter is now testing an updated version of its Explore tab that's organized by topic rather than content type. This change will roll out to Android and iOS users in the U.S. in the coming months. Another change is coming even sooner, though, with a new update arriving today that will see related news, events, and stories at the top of search results.
Additionally, Twitter is updating its "Happening now" feature that appears at the top of your timeline to include tweets about news that's breaking and personalized to you. This includes surrounding tweets and videos. This update will roll out to everyone in the U.S. in the coming months.
Moments is getting an update, too, including a switch to vertical scrolling to make it easier to use. Twitter says that it's also rolling out multiple timelines in some U.S. Moments that'll help you see all of the tweets about an event, including a recap timeline with tweets you might've missed, a timeline with the latest tweets, and a timeline with top commentary.
Soccer fans will be glad to know that Twitter is rolling out a dedicated World Cup page in its app as well. This will include individual pages for every game with scores, videos, and more. This feature is rolling out today in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, German, Russian, and Arabic.
Finally, Twitter wants to make sure that you're updated on news even when you're not in its app. It'll soon begin sending push notifications to you for the latest news based on your interests. This includes who you follow and what you tweet about. You will be able to disable these alerts if you'd like, though, by going into your recommendations settings and opting not to receive news.