Twitter hails slimline apps as tonic for connectivity woes

INTERVIEW: Lauren Tindal, product manager at Twitter (pictured), called for greater investment in lightweight versions of mobile apps for emerging markets, which she noted could boost efforts to increase global connectivity.

Tindal said pared down apps can be difficult to find by customers, and ecosystem players should aim to make them more visible and discoverable.

Apart from enhancing the ecosystem, she expressed a belief more people will have the ability to use a large variety of internet based services as data rates increase and costs are reduced.

Tindal highlighted limited device capabilities and data access as key arguments for the need for lightweight apps. Twitter Lite, for example, offers a “data and storage-friendly way” to access the social media platform.

Features the company targeted include fast loading on 2G and 3G networks, minimised data usage and a reduction in device storage requirements.

Language is another key issue for such apps, Tindal said, noting the ability to translate content as an essential feature to reach emerging markets.