Twitter pulls buggy app from Apple Watch without announcement
The latest Twitter update for the iPhone also disables its accompanying Apple Watch app, potentially as a temporary measure while the company deals with complaints about crashes.
The iPhone update was pushed out on Tuesday, and release notes mention only a fix for uploading high-resolution images. Twitter has also yet to address the issue elsewhere, such as its official blog.
A number of people have reported the Apple Watch app crashing since the release of watchOS 4 on Sept. 19, including an editor at AppleInsider. Rather than let problems linger, it’s possible Twitter has disabled the software until it can make it run smoothly.
It’s also possible that the change is more permanent. Earlier this year a slew of major apps vanished from the Apple Watch, such as eBay and Google Maps, possibly because their developers felt there was too little usage relative to the cost. Google said it expected to bring its Maps app back —to date though, that software is still missing, even as the Apple Watch has gained more iPhone independence with its new LTE-connected Series 3 model.
Twitter’s absence would be particularly conspicuous on the Apple Watch, since the social network is often treated as essential service on other Apple platforms. Third-party clients, such as Tweetbot, continue to have a watchoS presence.