Twitter launches new Android Alpha testing program

Program will let users experiment and report back on earlier versions of Twitter's Android products

With Twitter finally going public yesterday, it now has quite a few more people to answer to. Namely, stockholders who want the company to perform at a certain level. Twitter has to keep people happy, so they keep using the service, so advertisers will want to continue giving them money. Easier said than done, I suspect.

So, for Twitter, that means getting feedback on their products is more important than ever. The company also introduced a beta program back in August, called "Twitter for Android Experiment" to let select users try out app features before they debut. Now Twitter is going back even further.

The company has launched an alpha test group for Android, to let users try out apps and features even earlier in their development. 

"Based on your feedback and the success of the Twitter for Android Experiment Program, we’re introducing an Android Alpha Program as well," Twitter wrote in the announcement for the Google Group.

"The Alpha Program will include earlier iterations of experiments, and will also give you an opportunity to provide direct feedback and collaborate with us via a forum, so you can take a more active role in testing out bugs."

The group is on a first come, first serve basis, and will first be open to members of the Twitter for Android Experiment group.

Of course, alpha tests are earlier versions of the software and Twitter warns users that they "could be less stable than the releases in the Android Experiment Program."

If a user is chosen they will get an e-mail over the next few days that confirms that they are part of the group.

Twitter is not the only social network to start allowing users in on the earlier levels of product development.

Earlier this summer, Facebook introduced Android beta testing program to allow its users to test out products before they were released and let the company know about any problems they were experiencing.

It has apparently been a big success: in the last four months, the program has been seeing over 1 million daily active users from over 150 countries.

So last month Facebook launched an Android alpha testing program as well. 

There is a reason that these programs work so well; people love to be the first one to get their hands on something. And for the companies, getting feedback from users, and having them point out any bugs or problems they are having, helps for a smooth rollout when it goes wide. It's a win-win situation.

Oh, and in case you were wondering how Twitter was doing after yesterday's pretty astounding gains, some reality seems to be creeping in regarding the company's lack of profitability.

The stock is down 4.99%, or $2.24, to $42.66. 

(Image source: https://wegoinin.com)