Twitter has released a significant update to their iOS app today, enabling two-step verification within the mobile app. Earlier this year, Twitter unveiled their two-step verification feature, which initially relied on SMS text messages. The new mobile app is now able to stand in place of a text message to help you log into your account.
From the official Twitter blog:
Today’s Twitter for iOS and Android updates let you enroll in login verification and approve login requests directly from your mobile app. Now, in addition to the SMS-based login verification that we released in May, you can use login verification without relying on text messages.
Here’s what’s new:
No phone number required: By using push messaging and in-application approvals, you no longer need to provide your phone number to use login verification. If you manage multiple Twitter accounts, but only have one phone number, you can now opt all of them into login verification.
Broader international support: Now, all you need is an Internet connection and one of our supported apps to enroll in login verification. Login verification via SMS has been available through supported mobile carriers across the world, but that didn’t cover everybody.
“My phone fell in the ocean!”: Backup codes generated in the application can be written down, stored in a safe place, and used to access your account on twitter.com even if you lose your phone.
More context: When a login request is made, you will see browser details and approximate location in the app. If you receive an approval request from halfway across the world, you may be getting phished. Review this page for more information on keeping your account secure.
In addition to the new two-step verification features, the update also lets you view another user’s photos in a gallery (accessed through their profile), and gives you much more control when creating or editing lists. Finally, the app has also been given some speed optimizations to improve load times, and contains a number of unmentioned bug fixes to ensure a smooth in-app experience.
Here’s the full App Store change log:
What’s New in Version 5.9
Now you can protect your account with login verification. This is a new form of two-factor authentication that you can turn on and manage directly from your app.
Also in this release:
• View anyone’s photos in a beautiful gallery when you visit their profile and tap ‘View more photos’
• Photo search results can also be viewed in a gallery
• Enjoy several improvements to lists: create new lists and edit your existing lists; manage titles and descriptions; add or remove members
• Improved launch times
• Other bug fixes and improvements
The update is available now, and as always, is as a free download from the App Store.
