'TweetDeck', Free for 12 Years, Now Paid... Musk Says "Financial Situation Not Good"

'Dashboard App' for Viewing Multiple Timelines
Provided with 'X Premium' Subscription... 110,000 KRW per Year

X (formerly Twitter), which has been focused on revenue generation, has started charging for 'TweetDeck,' a service that was provided for free for 12 years.

Elon Musk, CEO of American electric vehicle company Tesla and space exploration company SpaceX
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 16th (local time), X announced that it would rename 'TweetDeck,' a service that allows users to view multiple timelines and notification windows at a glance, to 'X Pro' and make it a paid service.

Previously, X allowed users to view only one timeline. However, X Pro is an app that enables users to simultaneously check multiple timelines, notification windows, word and hashtag search results, and more.

Twitter acquired and integrated this app in 2011 and had provided the service for free until now.

However, starting from this day, X explained that this service app will only be available to 'X Premium' (formerly 'Twitter Blue') subscribers. Therefore, to use X Pro, one must subscribe to X Premium.

X Premium is a paid subscription service introduced at the end of last year by Elon Musk after acquiring Twitter to generate revenue. The annual subscription fee amounts to $84 (approximately 112,500 KRW).

This policy change is interpreted as a measure for X to generate revenue by increasing paid subscribers to compensate for reduced income.

The original Twitter blue bird logo (left) and the current X logo (right).
[Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News]

Although no exact comparison point was provided, Musk stated last month, "Advertising revenue has decreased by 50%, and debt burden has increased, resulting in continued negative cash flow," adding, "Before indulging in luxury, we need to secure positive cash liquidity."

In an interview with the BBC, Musk also said, "Right after acquiring X, the company's financial condition had deteriorated to the point where it could only sustain itself for four months," and "(After acquiring X) the level of pain reached an extreme."

He also mentioned regarding advertiser departures, "Most have returned or are expected to return."

Meanwhile, last month, Elon Musk, CTO of X, implemented rebranding by changing Twitter’s name to 'X,' removing the blue bird logo and all related terms including the word 'tweet.'

Linda Yaccarino, CEO of Twitter, expressed the vision of a 'super app,' stating, "X will become a site for audio, video, messaging, payments, and banking."

However, some brand strategy experts have analyzed that this name change has caused a loss in brand value ranging from $4 billion (approximately 5.124 trillion KRW) to $20 billion (approximately 25.62 trillion KRW).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.