Twitter experimenting with 'news' tab in apps

Feature displays trending stories on top for users currently in the US and Japan

Social networking site, Twitter, has recently introduced an experimental 'News' tab in its app for mobile devices. 

Currently live in the US and Japan, the feature displays trending stories on top. All you have to do is tap on a headline and you will be directed to a story screen featuring an image, a block of text from the report and top tweets discussing the story.

Read: 29 Pakistani Twitter accounts you should follow

“We’re experimenting with a news experience on iOS and Android as we continue to explore new ways to surface the best content to users,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

The news tab makes Twitter more accessible by leading with headlines instead of tweets. But more importantly, it could also provide the platform with valuable advertising real estate.

Twitter has about 320 million users while its rivals Facebook and Instagram have 1.4 billion and 300 million users respectively.

"The news tab could give advertisers a less conversational experience with defined topics they can plan around," wrote BuzzFeed's Alex Krantowitz.

Read: #HappyFrienshipDay: B-Town wishes fans and friends on Twitter

"Sports news, for instance, would likely be of interest to a sporting equipment advertiser," he added.

This article originally appeared on Buzzfeed.