Musk’s Twitter to relaunch premium service, but at higher price for Apple users

Twitter is once again attempting to launch its premium service, a month after a previous attempt failed.

The relaunch of the revamped version of its subscription service Twitter Blue will launch on Monday at a higher price for Apple users, the company said in a tweet on Saturday.

The company said users could subscribe to the revamped service that will allow subscribers to edit tweets, upload 1080p videos and get a blue checkmark post account verification, for US$8 per month through the web but for US$11 per month through Apple iOS. Twitter says subscribers will see fewer ads, be able to post longer videos and have their tweets featured more prominently.

Twitter did not explain why Apple users were being charged more than others on the web but there have been media reports that the company was looking for ways to offset fees charged in the App Store.

Twitter had initially launched the Twitter Blue early in November. The blue checkmark was originally given to companies, celebrities, government entities and journalists verified by the platform, but it was inundated by impostor accounts, including those impersonating Musk’s businesses Tesla and SpaceX, so Twitter suspended the service days after its launch. It was then expected to launch again on November 29 but was pushed back.

Elon Musk, who took Twitter private for US$44 billion in November had in a series of tweets last month listed various grievances with Apple, including the 30 per cent fee the iPhone maker charges software developers for in-app purchases.

He had then accused Apple of threatening to block Twitter from its app store and also said that the iPhone maker had stopped advertising on the social media platform.