Twitter has now rebranded as 'X'

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2023

As recently teased by CEO Elon Musk, Twitter is now called "X" as the rebranding goes live.




Launched on March 21, 2006, the revolutionary social media platform was called "Twitter" for 17 years, 4 months, and 3 days, but now it is "X." Following the announcement that it was coming soon, the company completed the rebrand early on Monday, July 24, 2023.

Now when users log in on the web, there is a brief "X" splash screen before the normal service loads. The service appears to still be called Twitter on the official app, but it's possible that the new design has yet to finish rolling out worldwide.

The renaming of the official Twitter account can be seen on the app as well as online, though, and the "X" logo was projected onto the company's headquarters overnight.

Our headquarters tonight pic.twitter.com/GO6yY8R7fO

-- Elon Musk (@elonmusk)



Musk has said that "tweets" should now be called "x's," complete with the erroneous apostrophe. When asked what retweets should be called, Musk ducked the question.

"X is here!" x'd X managing director Linda Yaccarino. "Let's do this!"

It's an exceptionally rare thing - in life or in business - that you get a second chance to make another big impression. Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square.

-- Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc)



"X is the future state of unlimited interactivity -- centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking -- creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities," continued Yaccarino. "Powered by Al, X will connect us all in ways we're just beginning to imagine."

"For years, fans and critics alike have pushed Twitter to dream bigger, to innovate faster, and to fulfill our great potential," she said. "X will do that and more. We've already started to see X take shape over the past 8 months through our rapid feature launches, but we're just getting started."

"There's absolutely no limit to this transformation," Yaccarino tweeted. "X will be the platform that can deliver, well... everything. [Elon Musk] and I are looking forward to working with our teams and every single one of our partners to bring X to the world."

The new "X" logo has already been mocked by the UK's ITVX for its similarity to that streaming service's on-air logo.

The rebrand follows the renaming in April 2023 of Twitter, Inc, as X Corp.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    leehericksleehericks Posts: 41member
    Well, for me I hadn’t felt like Twitter changed that much after Musk bought it. But this would be the nail in the coffin for me. I will bow out if it’s not Twitter and they aren’t called tweets. He pushed that one a bit too far.
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 2 of 32
    Michae1Michae1 Posts: 22member
    After Musk bought Twitter we learned the depths to which it has been used to promote certain certain narratives, and suppress other ideas. As someone who never used the service, I was only mildly interested in the steps he has been taking to democratize it, monetize it, and revitalize it. But what has been highly entertaining to me is watching how butthurt people have gotten over these changes. The principal came into the cafeteria and told the “cool kids“ that they don’t get to decide who sits at their table anymore.
    cornchipStrangeDayswilliamlondonh2pFileMakerFellerpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 32
    fred1fred1 Posts: 1,119member
    Well, at least now when Elon is pushed out, we can say he’s the x-owner of the app. 

    And a big thank you for pointing out that the apostrophe in this case is wrong. An apostrophe is for possessives and shortenings (don’t, won’t), not to show plurals. 
    sconosciutowatto_cobraappleinsideruserAlex1N
  • Reply 4 of 32
    Michae1Michae1 Posts: 22member
    fred1 said:
    And a big thank you for pointing out that the apostrophe in this case is wrong. An apostrophe is for possessives and shortenings (don’t, won’t), not to show plurals. 
    Yea, but no.  As any fan of the Oakland A’s can tell you, "The apostrophe is also used to form ... the plurals of the letters of the alphabet (p's and q's, three A's)."
    cornchipwilliamlondonh2ppscooter63Alex_V
  • Reply 5 of 32
    petripetri Posts: 121member
    Michae1 said:
    After Musk bought Twitter we learned the depths to which it has been used to promote certain certain narratives, and suppress other ideas. As someone who never used the service, I was only mildly interested in the steps he has been taking to democratize it, monetize it, and revitalize it. But what has been highly entertaining to me is watching how butthurt people have gotten over these changes. The principal came into the cafeteria and told the “cool kids“ that they don’t get to decide who sits at their table anymore.
    You forgot the bit where all the cool kids moved to a different school, and the principal burned down his own cafeteria while “owning the libs” and rebranding it as a dumpster fire.

    Twitter wasn’t perfect, but if you think that amplifying actual nazis is “democratising” and “revitalising” the platform then, well, perhaps you’d better sign up after all, clearly you’re the target market.

    As for monetising, you’re no doubt aware that income is through the floor and the genius Musk has managed to literally halve the companies value even before dumping the brand (arguably its most valuable asset).  Kerching!
    sconosciutocornchipzimmieronnwilliamlondondanoxFileMakerFellerwatto_cobraAlex_Vbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 6 of 32
    charlesatlascharlesatlas Posts: 402member
    The guy has a weird obsession with that letter. He did name one of his sons "X Æ A-12" after all.


    StrangeDayswatto_cobraAlex1N
  • Reply 7 of 32
    fred1fred1 Posts: 1,119member
    Michae1 said:
    fred1 said:
    And a big thank you for pointing out that the apostrophe in this case is wrong. An apostrophe is for possessives and shortenings (don’t, won’t), not to show plurals. 
    Yea, but no.  As any fan of the Oakland A’s can tell you, "The apostrophe is also used to form ... the plurals of the letters of the alphabet (p's and q's, three A's)."

    With all due respect to As fans, using an apostrophe to form a plural is done a lot, but still a mistake. According to Grammerly:

    “Apostrophes and plurals

    Using an unnecessary apostrophe to form the plural of a noun is a very common mistake.”

    And according to grammar book.com:

    “ Rule 2b. Do not use an apostrophe + s to make a regular noun plural.

    Incorrect: Apostrophe’s are confusing.
    Correct: Apostrophes are confusing.”

    Of course languages evolve and one day it will be considered correct (like saying “Him and I saw the movie”, but not yet. Patience. 

    williamlondonwatto_cobraAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 8 of 32
    sconosciutosconosciuto Posts: 270member
    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

    *gasp*

    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
    edited July 2023 ITGUYINSDFileMakerFellerwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 9 of 32
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 544member
    Twitter's image is so bad that maybe he thinks a few new people will sign up for X by mistake.
    sconosciutowilliamlondonwatto_cobraAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 10 of 32
    sconosciutosconosciuto Posts: 270member
    How long until shareholders sue him? Of all the letters... "X" on a black background??? It looks like a logo for a porn site with an exclusive, gentleman's club vibe. Of the 26 letters, he had to pick the one everyone automatically associates with porn and NSFW?

    He's completely trashed the brand from start to finish. This move, it's like Coca-Cola changing the name of its namesake beverage to R. Why would I call it a Coke if it's not Coca-Cola any longer? Similarly, why would I call it a tweet if it's not Twitter? The name of the company became a verb, branding professionals make a career of an accomplishment like that. And this "genius" just threw it away because he's high AF again.

    I dare you to find a single person in the marketing profession not on his payroll who thinks this is anything other than a colossally bad decision.
    edited July 2023 ronnh2pwatto_cobraAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 11 of 32
    sconosciutosconosciuto Posts: 270member
    ...upon further consideration, that's a particularly apt name for a platform everybody but fascists and racists is fleeing.
    edited July 2023 ciaStrangeDayswilliamlondonwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 12 of 32
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,128member
    Excel-ent, does it come with Clippy?

    Edit: Somebody on Ars Technica pointed out that's it looks an awful lot like the X11 icon. That's a mid 1980s Unix Window software. I knew it was familiar. Oops!
    edited July 2023 watto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 13 of 32
    commentzillacommentzilla Posts: 731member
    Musk is systemically destroying the brand and its revenue stream. I have little reason to believe it won't be be eclipsed by Threads as X becomes a Truth Social competitor.  :D
    ronnwilliamlondonwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 14 of 32
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,739member
    hmlongco said:
    Twitter's image is so bad that maybe he thinks a few new people will sign up for X by mistake.
    That was my thought: maybe he's trying to get a new audience of people who are searching for something entirely different? Might as well reduce the character limit to 0 if that's the case.
    ronnwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1N
  • Reply 15 of 32
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,439member
    Microsoft had a mild obsession with the letter "X" back in the 1990s. They got over it. I do like the band "X' and they've been around since 1977, when Elon was probably still in diapers. Baby diapers that is. He may be wearing the other kind now that the 44 billion he spent to make a point isn't playing out quite like he intended.

    Does it really matter what Twitter's name is? A turd by any other name will smell as rancid.
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 16 of 32
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 2,053member
    sconosciuto said:
    How long until shareholders sue him? Of all the letters... "X" on a black background??? It looks like a logo for a porn site with an exclusive, gentleman's club vibe. Of the 26 letters, he had to pick the one everyone automatically associates with porn and NSFW?

    He's completely trashed the brand from start to finish. This move, it's like Coca-Cola changing the name of its namesake beverage to R. Why would I call it a Coke if it's not Coca-Cola any longer? Similarly, why would I call it a tweet if it's not Twitter? The name of the company became a verb, branding professionals make a career of an accomplishment like that. And this "genius" just threw it away because he's high AF again.

    I dare you to find a single person in the marketing profession not on his payroll who thinks this is anything other than a colossally bad decision.
    Musk will no doubt soon announce that "premium" accounts on the service will be known as "XXX" accounts. He will think this is hilarious.
    williamlondonwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1N
  • Reply 17 of 32
    wonkothesanewonkothesane Posts: 1,732member
    I’m curious who’ll be laughing some years from now. IIRC, Musk always wanted to create the “western WeChat” - the one platform “to rule them all”. Any of you, who have been to China will probably know that it is virtually impossible to live without WeChat: Payments, Reservations, Customer Service, Streaming,…
    This guy certainly has a lot of funding; I guess he just waits until the X takes off.
    h2pwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 32
    orthiconorthicon Posts: 5member
    Is that supposed to be short for eXit?
    williamlondonwatto_cobraAlex_VAlex1Njony0
  • Reply 19 of 32
    KoliadascopeKoliadascope Posts: 21member
    X is short for Twit-X.
    watto_cobraAlex_VAlex1N
  • Reply 20 of 32
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,866member
    wonkothesane said:
    I’m curious who’ll be laughing some years from now. IIRC, Musk always wanted to create the “western WeChat” - the one platform “to rule them all”. Any of you, who have been to China will probably know that it is virtually impossible to live without WeChat: Payments, Reservations, Customer Service, Streaming,…
    This guy certainly has a lot of funding; I guess he just waits until the X takes off.
    Well, if anyone still remembers Twitter years from now, they will absolutely be laughing.
    dewmewatto_cobraAlex1N
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