Twitter Brings Fleets, a Stories-Like Feature, to India, Now Available on Mobile Apps

Twitter is testing its own take on “Stories” format dubbed as “Fleets” and the feature is available to Android and iOS users in India. The micro-blogging company has stated that this is a phased rollout and Fleets will be available for all users in the country in the coming days with the latest version of its mobile apps. Similar to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Stories, Fleets disappear from users' timeline after 24 hours. They cannot be liked or retweeted like regular tweets, however other users can respond to the Fleets via Direct Message (DM).

The latest Twitter feature was first introduced in Brazil back in March and it reached Android and iOS users in India on Tuesday. Explaining Fleets in a series of tweets, product lead at Twitter, Kayvon Beykpour, said, "People often tell us that they don't feel comfortable Tweeting because Tweets can be seen and replied to by anybody, feel permanent and performative (how many Likes & Retweets will this get!?)."

"We've been listening to this feedback and working to create new capabilities that address some of the anxieties that hold people back from talking on Twitter," Beykpour added.

What are Twitter Fleets?

Just like Instagram and Facebook Stories, Fleets are another form of sharing content but they disappear after 24 hours of upload. They usually appear at the top of the home screen for limited seconds and users can view them for longer by long pressing the screen. Twitter Fleets are unlike regular tweets, therefore are less accessible and won't circulate on Twitter Moments and cannot be embedded.

Users can view Fleets of other users even if they aren't following them by going to their profile. Users can also view who all have seen their Fleets.

How to use Twitter Fleets

Users in India can update and view Twitter Fleets only via the app but not the Web client. If you have access to Fleets, you can find the feature at the top of the home screen of the app. To update a Fleet, click on the small icon with the '+' sign.

You can add texts, photo or gif to "share a fleeting thought." Similar to Instagram and Snapchat 'Stories', Fleets will disappear after 24 hours.

In 2020, will WhatsApp get the killer feature that every Indian is waiting for? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.