Tweetbot creator launches Netbot, a mature and polished App.net client for iPhone and iPad
Tapbots, the studio behind the popular Tweetbot client for Twitter, has brought its design prowess to the fledgeling communication platform App.net. The company's new app Netbot serves users …
Context & Ripple Effects
App.net’s iOS ecosystem had only just gained its first dedicated iOS client in September. Tapbots enters after extending Tweetbot to the desktop with Tweetbot for Mac, giving the newer service a client from a studio already associated with Twitter software.
The significance is less the existence of another App.net app than the arrival of a polished, cross-device client option from an established third-party developer.
First-order effects
- App.net users on iPhone and iPad gain Netbot as a mature alternative for accessing the service.
- Tapbots expands its client business beyond Twitter while carrying the Tweetbot design reputation into App.net.
Second-order effects
- The first dedicated App.net iOS client faces a more prominent rival for users who prioritize interface polish and iPad support.
- App.net’s appeal to prospective users becomes more tied to whether independent developers can supply clients comparable to the established Twitter experience.
Third-order effects
- If established client makers continue to support smaller social services, client quality can become a meaningful part of a platform’s ability to compete for user attention rather than a mere accessory to the network.
The trend: Social platforms are competing not only on their own feeds but on whether third-party developers build polished access points around them.