Fans of the popular GIF file format will find a new update on Twitter for web and mobile devices over the next few weeks. Twitter announced on its blog that GIF support will be added for Tweets and Direct Messages. This will come through a partnership with GIPHY and Riffsy.
“GIPHY delivers real-time GIFs as they happen, helping to power Twitter’s live commentary and conversation,” says Alex Chung, founder and CEO of GIPHY. “GIPHY’s users are creating GIFs for news, entertainment, sports, and expression that can enrich Tweets. We’re excited to work with Twitter to make sharing these GIFs even easier.”
A GIF button will be added, allowing users to search for GIFs using searchable keywords or categories. The addition of new features to Twitter comes at a time when user growth has declined. There was already talk of Twitter adding a feature allowing timelines to be displayed out of order so it would be easier for new users to start using the platform. CEO Jack Dorsey eased fears by stating the live stream would not be going away.
GIF is a file that displays both animated and static images. It has become popular over social media as a form of visual communication.
