Comments for It's Here! iTwitter: The First Twitter App to do Push

It's Here! iTwitter: The First Twitter App to do Push

2009-07-06T13:09:29Z

Ever since Apple released iPhone OS 3.0, Twitter addicts have been waiting for their favorite iPhone application to implement the OS's new "push" technology which could deliver messages as pop-ups on the homescreen. Today, the first app to implement this feature has arrived, but it's not one of the popular apps as you may have expected. Instead, the brand-new app iTwitter (iTunes link) has beaten out all the other major clients to become the first push-enabled Twitter application for the iPhone.

]]> About iTwitter

Despite the number of iPhone Twitter applications out there, most users have narrowed down the list of clients they use on a regular basis to one or two of the most popular apps like Tweetie, Tweetdeck, Twitterfon, Twitterific, Twinkle, Twittelator, Tweetsville, or something else entirely. Since these clients already have notoriety and a solid user base, we expected to see one of them emerge as the first Twitter client to introduce "push" technology. Imagine our surprise then when another application, a newcomer called iTwitter, beat out all the rest to achieve this claim to fame.

Having just launched yesterday in the iTunes App Store, iTwitter is a robust Twitter application which offers all the features you would expect including access to your friends' timeline, direct messages, mentions (@ replies), favorites, following and follower lists, and a compose screen. Plus, it also throws in several extra features that may put it one notch above your current favorite app like its ability to display nearby tweets, integration with TwitPic (including an inline viewer), a fast re-tweet option, a landscape keyboard, custom searches and the ability to save them, and conversational threaded tweets.

Here Comes Pushed Tweets!

However, the feature which everyone cares about is not currently listed in the app's description on its iTunes page: PUSH. But a few hours ago, the app's dev team tweeted the big news: "iTwitter push notification is working perfectly now, enjoy it guys!"

The pushed messages arrive as pop-up messages on your homescreen, just like they do in other push-enabled applications like instant messaging clients Beejive and IM+. You can choose to "close" the notification message or you can tap "view" to launch iTwitter and view the tweet.

Unfortunately, there is a drawback to the way iTwitter implements the push technology. It pushes all mentions and direct messages...but only if the person sending them is using iTwitter, too. Sigh. So close, yet so far. We don't know why they would implement such a serious restriction and it is quite the disappointment. We guess the only way to work around this issue is to convince all our friends to ditch their current app and start using iTwitter instead.

At the moment, iTwitter is free, but if it remains the only available push client for too long, it wouldn't be a surprise if they started charging. Better grab it now just in case!

Update: As one commenter noted below, iTwitter isn't technically the first app to implement push Twitter messages - IM+ is. However, IM+ is more well-known as an instant messaging client, not as a standalone Twitter client. iTwitter is the first Twitter-only client to do push, an important distinction since many people prefer using a dedicated app with a lot more features.

Comment from Ken on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T13:35:59Z

"It pushes all mentions and direct messages...but only if the person sending them is using iTwitter, too"

dealbreaker

Comment from Josh on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T13:51:03Z

This is not the first iPhone Twitter app to do Push notifications!

IM+ 3.0 has done this for @-replies and DMs irrespective of client.

I don't work for them, but I do appreciate good research on such a prominent blog!

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T13:51:31Z

@Ken: Yep, a lot of people are probably going to agree with you.

Comment from ITrush on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T13:54:09Z

This is nice, hope to use it too.

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T14:07:02Z

@Josh: I've updated the post to clarify. You're right, IM+ does do Twitter push, but I don't tend to classify it as a "Twitter app." It's an IM app that happens to support Twitter. It certainly doesn't offer the feature set that my dedicated client apps do when it comes to Twitter. Most iPhone users I know don't use IM+ for their main interactions with Twitter - they use a standalone, feature-rich app like Tweetie or TweetDeck.

I agree, it was important to note that IM+ was first to push tweets (hence the update), but the first *Twitter app* to push tweets is still an important accomplishment, too.

Comment from Will Robertson on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T14:15:18Z

Since this app only pushes tweets that were sent from the app itself it is basically useless unless everyone you follow on Twitter has an iPhone and that app.

I am looking forward to Tweet Push by Polar Bear Farm. It pushes @mentions and DMs and instead of trying to replace your Twitter client of choice - it integrates with the one of your choosing. Still waiting for it to be approved though. Here is some more info: http://www.polarbearfarm.com/tweetpush/index.html

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T14:28:07Z

@Will: that sounds great! Thanks for sharing.

Comment from re-roof west yorkshire on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T14:41:48Z

im gonna have to get myself one of them new iphones

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T15:19:07Z

I have to add something else: in the super-technical sense, neither IM+ nor iTwitter do "true" push. They poll Twitter at timed intervals (thus eating into API requests) then push the messages using the OS 3.0 technology.

(Thanks to @if_talos for @'ing me a link to this Get Satisfaction thread: http://getsatisfaction.com/twitter/topics/twitter_needs_to_support_push_notifications_on_the_iphone)

What we wouldn't give for "real" push!

Comment from Nic on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T15:46:19Z

I am unfamiliar with the iPhone SDK, but is there some technical limitation preventing true Twitter push? Polling and proprietary clients seem like a cop out, I'll just wait.

Comment from asher on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T15:46:24Z

no themes??:( iconfactorys twitter app is by far the best looking one still.

plus i cant see how this is useful unless everyone of your contacts has an iphone and this app. hmmmmmm.

Comment from https://creativecommons.net/zach/ on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T15:55:34Z

It's cute, and the interface is interesting with some good ideas (like the "addressbook" metaphor). But, it's slow! The keyboard freezes, and it's photo takes a very, very long time to load—it even crashed.

I've been using Tweetie, which I've found great, though £1.79's a bit of a cheeky price for a twitter client. But, with iTwitter's epic failure to grasp the nature of twitter (by locking people into using it in order to get a feature), I see no reason to change yet.

Indeed, I agree with Ken, and would like to see another app make this work nicely, because I'd rather not make use of a closed-perspective app for something as open as twitter.

Comment from Dee S. on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T16:01:49Z

I've been using IM+ to push Twitter notifications. Though I like it more as an IM client than a Twitter client.

Comment from Unbeliveble on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T16:37:39Z

@ Sarah Perez
"..I agree, it was important to note that IM+ was first to push tweets..."
"..I have to add something else: in the super-technical sense, neither IM+ nor iTwitter do "true" push.."
So basically, Sarah, which part of your post IS true?!? The title and the text are certainly not..

Comment from Michael on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T16:41:34Z

"It's Here! iTwitter: The First Twitter App to do Push"
Except, it's not the first, and it doesn't do push! Great work...:-))

Comment from Stephen on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T16:42:18Z

It's a safe bet that pushing all tweets, @ replies and DMs would drain my 3G battery in record time.

The killer feature, IMO, would be the ability to push select user's tweets. I get a lot of value from certain users, and having their updates pushed would be a nice way to know when they're updating.

But pushing everyone's tweets (with our without iTwitter access)? Yikes.

- @sbolen

Comment from Chris Herbert on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T16:50:44Z

Not the first App at all!!!!

Major FAIL!!

Since you have given this rubbish App loads of undeserved free marketing are you going to be fair and give IM+ a plug and apologize?

Comment from Russell Chernak on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T17:59:49Z

@Sarah, thanks for this article. @everybody else, so what if there is one other app that has support for twitter? The point is that there is now an app out specifically for Twitter and has push notifications for it. Even if the notifications only come from other ppl using the app, its still better than nothing. Besides this app will quickly gain popularity and most iphone users that tweet will be using it. And who knows, maybe a future update will allow push notifications from other apps.

Comment from Miladinoski on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T18:09:52Z

It pushes all mentions and direct messages...but only if the person sending them is using iTwitter, too.

And suddenly all the fuss about it dissapears... I wonder why...?

Comment from Gary LaPointe on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T18:15:18Z

It really makes sense they way this did do the push. When someone with their app send a DM or @ to one of their users it's an easy look up.

Unless they have a server constantly watching all the tweets for your @name and DMname, they aren't going to see it.

I think someone is just going to have to create an app (or a nice paging service for you).

BTW

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T18:25:06Z

Ooh look, iTwitter is trending now. I guess people do care about a dedicated Twitter app doing push.

Comment from dimplemonkey on 2009-07-06

2009-07-06T18:43:18Z

Where's the trends? This app is soooo close to replacing Tweetie but where are the trends? Oh, snap! And the push seems to work only when others are also using iTwitter. Is this consistent with your findings?

Comment from Matthew Lesh on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T07:59:30Z

I'm a co-developer on an application called "iTweetReply".. we've created a proper twitter app that both pushers [every mention & DM] and is a featured twitter app.

We're currently waiting for Apple Approval on the application.

Put yourself down on http://iphone.itweetreply.com .

Or to find out more: http://syncode.com.au/apps/itweetreply/

Comment from memoy on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T10:07:18Z

FAIL!!

Push is not working, status always on FAIL! Still its free!! Im going back to tweetie!

Comment from Touch Arcade on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T10:51:52Z

I have been testing out this app at the online iPhone Demo:

Interactive iPhone

So far, I am actually impressed except for the problem with push, but oh well.

Comment from euaneggs on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T11:37:02Z

Not free anymore, gutted!

Comment from Johnny Mason on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T12:19:32Z

FYI: The app has just been changed to $3.99. Apparently, they figured out they may have a good thing here.

Comment from Ray on 2009-07-07

2009-07-07T14:50:33Z

not free anymore and only pushes messages from other iTwitter users? that's...useless.

I can see that as a tactic to get people to use your app, but the userbase of the product is low comparatively...I think this will hurt the product.

I think I will wait till another app (hopefully Tweetie!) does it right. and hopefully, it can be a bit more selective with the tweets! no need to be notified of every single tweet!

Comment from Ceige on 2009-07-07

2009-07-08T02:16:40Z

It was free for 1 Day!! WTF? yeah I guess you better hurry..

Comment from Jonathan George on 2009-07-09

2009-07-09T15:14:13Z

If you'd rather continue to use Tweetie or Twitterrific and still have push notifications, be sure to try out Boxcar -- it was released into the store today as well.

http://boxcar.io

Comment from jason on 2009-07-22

2009-07-22T23:08:00Z

When you have a few thousand followers push note is something that you will want to turn off for sure. Might be nice if you only have a handful of followers

Comment from iphoneholic on 2010-02-11

2010-02-11T20:20:47Z

I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. I follow enough people to generate dozens of tweets a day. I normally launch my Twitter app (TvvitterBug) when I have a moment to check up on them and use its "Instant Update" feature to grab a fresh update whenever I want it.

My iPhone already rings for phone calls, beeps for voice messages, emails, and SMS. Do I now want it to hound me with beeps and pop-up screens every time there's a new tweet from someone I follow?

I think I'll stick to reading my tweets when I'M ready, and not elect to add even more unnecessary whistles, clicks, and pops to my life.