Twitter today rolled out its latest client update for macOS, adding Touch Bar and Sidecar support for the first time.
The release comes just a few months after Twitter took advantage of improvements in macOS Catalina that allowed it to port its iPad app to the desktop.
Not too long ago, there was no official Twitter client for Mac. It was scrapped in early 2018 when users were told to use Twitter on the web instead for “the full Twitter experience.”
A lot has changed since then, however.
Apple’s introduction of Catalyst in macOS Catalina last fall made it possible to bring source code from iPad apps straight to the desktop. This gave Twitter an easy route back to Mac.
Now, that Mac app is getting brand-new features specifically for the desktop.
Touch Bar, Sidecar support hit Twitter app
The version 8.5 update makes it so that you can put Twitter for Mac on your iPad when using Sidecar. It also adds some (but not many) Touch Bar shortcuts for those using a MacBook Pro.
Touch Bar support is basic for now. You’ll see a compose tweet button, plus a toggle that lets you quickly switch between your most recent and most relevant timelines. There’s a lot of empty space for now.
Nevertheless, it’s a good start. Future updates will likely add other useful buttons for things like direct messages, search, lists, and more.
Twitter for Mac is a free download from the Mac App Store. The latest release also promises some fixes for opening the help center and a memory leak that affects threaded conversations.
