Optimized version of Twitter (X) for the Google Pixel Fold & Tablet rolling out widely
The social media giant has finally rolled out some optimizations for its X app on Google's Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet, ditching the black bars that plagued the experience for months. Although not a complete Tablet UI redesign, the small change does constitute a better viewing experience.
Previously, launching the app on these devices resulted in a stretched interface confined within black boxes on the sides. This less-than-ideal solution was Google's answer to the issue of many Android apps not being optimized for large screens.
However, as reported by 9to5Google, Twitter/X v10.18.0 brings much-needed relief. The app now utilizes the full width of the screen without stretching content, presenting it in a centralized and compact layout. This significantly improves the user experience on both the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet.
While this change technically applies to all Android devices, it's most noticeable on Google's large-screen offerings. Unlike other manufacturers who force non-optimized apps into fullscreen mode, Google initially opted not to do that in order to encourage App Developers to add support in-app instead. This has since then changed with the introduction of aspect ratio per-app overrides with Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1 — which is now present in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop.
This update is currently available in the Play Store and may even trickle down to older versions of the app. This is a welcome improvement, especially considering Meta's Threads app still suffers from the letterboxing issue on larger Pixel devices.
Previously, launching the app on these devices resulted in a stretched interface confined within black boxes on the sides. This less-than-ideal solution was Google's answer to the issue of many Android apps not being optimized for large screens.
While this change technically applies to all Android devices, it's most noticeable on Google's large-screen offerings. Unlike other manufacturers who force non-optimized apps into fullscreen mode, Google initially opted not to do that in order to encourage App Developers to add support in-app instead. This has since then changed with the introduction of aspect ratio per-app overrides with Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1 — which is now present in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop.
Twitter/X with letterboxing vs without
Still, this new UI is far from perfect and Twitter/X could definitely do a lot better. Even Instagram, which famously held out as long as possible to roll out a tablet UI, has finally joined the fold lifestyle. Hopefully, X's developers continue to prioritize tablet optimization and roll out an even more seamless and enjoyable experience for users of large-screen Android devices in the future.
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