Twitter acquires Atebits, will make Tweetie for iPad
updated 11:35 pm EDT, Fri April 9, 2010
Twitter hand-picks Tweetie for apps
Twitter this evening caught users off guard by acquiring Atebits, the creator of Tweetie. The deal will put author Loren Brichter in Twitter's mobile team and make Tweetie the official Twitter app on Apple devices. This will include adapting Tweetie to the iPad, Brichter said.
What will happen to the Mac client for Tweetie isn't known, nor is whether Twitter will use Atebits' experience to port a similar interface to Android and other platforms.
Tweetie has been one of the most successful Twitter clients on the App Store despite carrying a $3 price where many similar apps are 99 cents or free. Most have attributed it to a full interface that gives virtually as much control as on the web but in an interface optimized for Apple's touchscreen devices. The income from sales has let Brichter devote virtually all his time to app development where it was once a part-time project.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2002
Wow
Wonder how the other mobile client developers will react. Especially any that complained over Apple's use of private apis in their own apps.