Twitter introduces voice tweets, available only to select iOS users

Voice tweets capture up to 140 seconds of audio, and apply only to original tweets.

Twitter feels that 280-character tweets aren’t enough, and some conversational nuances are lost in translation. Thus, it is testing a new feature called 'voice tweet'.

To send one, all you need to do is open tweet composer, and tap on the new icon with wavelengths. Then, you will see your profile photo and the record button at the bottom. Tap on it and record your voice.

Each voice tweet will capture up to 140 seconds of audio. If you aren't finished, a new voice tweet will take over and create a thread. Tap the 'Done' button after you're through, and you will return to the composer screen to tweet.

Your voice tweet will appear alongside your tweets. To listen, tap the image. This feature is available only to select iOS users, where playback will appear at the bottom of the screen that lets you scroll and listen at the same time.

In its 'Help' section, Twitter says, "At this time, you can only record voice tweets as original tweets. It’s not possible to tweet with audio through replies, or retweets with comment."

Talking about this new feature, the tech giant said, in a blog post, "There’s a lot that can be left unsaid, or uninterpreted using text, so we hope voice tweeting will create a more human experience for listeners and storytellers alike."

This, however, isn't Twitter's only new feature. A few weeks ago, it announced 'Fleets', a new way for users to have conversations, which disappear after 24 hours (similar to Instagram's story feature).

Manish Maheshwari, MD, Twitter India, said, “India is important for Twitter, since it is one of our largest and fastest-growing audience markets globally. We are excited to bring the Fleets experiment to India and make it one of the first three countries in the world to experience this new product.”

“From the test in India, we’ll learn how adding a new mode of conversation changes the way Indians engage on Twitter. It’ll also be interesting to see if it further amplifies the diversity of usage by allowing people to share what they’re thinking in a way that is light-touch and light-hearted.”