Twitter has rolled out an update that allows its users to post longer tweets since it has stopped counting media files such as photos and videos and others that previously ate up a significant amount of text space.
All media attachments such as photos, videos, GIF images, polls, quoted and retweeted messages have been taking up the precious space of a tweet up until recently.
Another new feature to the character limit is that usernames starting with @ will also no longer count giving users more room for a discussion. However, links are still on the count.
"This is the most notable change we’ve made in recent times around conversation in particular, and around giving people the full expressiveness of the 140 characters. I’m excited to see even more dialog because of this," Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s CEO, told The Verge in May.
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The changes are aimed at boosting Twitter’s users base as it has been quite stagnant over the recent year and Twitter is struggling not to fall behind the rapidly-developing world of social media. Now it is expected to be easier for new users to engage in Twitter.
The company is trying to appeal to younger audiences while staying true to its distinctive features.
The 140-character limit was introduced in 2006 due to mobile phone text messaging constraints. Amid a deluge of complaints about the restriction, savvy users posted iPhone notes screen shots where they could express themselves without limits.