Twitter testing revamped profile design similar to Facebook, Google+

Barely a week after introducing its redesigned website, Twitter is seemingly testing a new profile design that will be a complete departure from its original style. The pictures of the test screenshots showcase the new profile design, which is very similar to that of a Facebook Timeline, or Google+ profile page. Amongst others changes, the manner in which the elements of the profile have been placed has changed dramatically.

According to a report by Mashable, its assistant features editor, Matt Petronzio spotted a new update to his Twitter profile page, on Tuesday. A screenshot of the updated profile can be seen above. The bio and the main picture had been moved to the left, underneath which are the 'Who to Follow', and 'United States Trends' sections. This looks like the Facebook Timeline page of users. The new design has more focus on photos and also on content. In fact there are pointed similarities between the Facebook Timeline wall, with its cover photo and the profile picture overlapping on it.

Under the header photo (akin to cover photo on Facebook) there are the Tweets, Photos/Videos (new), Following, Favourites, View Lists sections. There is also the Edit Profile tab on the far right side of the page. If the reported design rolls out, it would seem Twitter is in favour of ditching its rigid text-based vertical page design, and is moving to Facebook's erstwhile mosaic styled Timeline view. It is also important to note that Facebook recently switched to a vertical view for its timeline.

While the micro-blogging website has posted growth in the fourth quarter of 2013 there has been a slowdown in its growth ever since it went public last year. There are a lot of questions to be asked though, about this probable new design. Is Twitter just testing a new design?

Will it actually go live for the general populace? And if it does, then what will be the response of the people to the new look, given that its new design revamp which was released last week had received mixed reactions? All these and more are questions that will be answered only if the speculative design change does make it to Twitter officially. Twitter has not commented on the new design change.