Twitter ends support for legacy APIs, causes developer angst

Video: Disappointing user numbers hurt Twitter despite good financial results

Twitter moved to kill legacy application programming interfaces and cut support for the service on Apple Watch, Mac, and Windows App. The API pruning is likely to impact third-party sources and rev up that #BreakingMyTwitter handle.

Also: Technology that changed us: The 2000s, from iPhone to Twitter

In a blog post and email from Rob Johnson, senior director of enterprise solutions at Twitter, the company outlined its thinking. Johnson noted that owned and operated apps perform better with more features.

Also: Alex Jones video that spurred Twitter suspension remained live on Periscope CNET

Johnson wrote:

In order to prioritize making these experiences great, we've chosen to stop investing in other products -- including two legacy developer tools used by about 1% of third-party developers. This means that some Twitter-like apps will not be able to function the exact same way as before. For example, instead of Tweets automatically streaming in like they once did in some third-party apps, you might need to pull to refresh like you do in Twitter-owned apps and sites. Several of the most popular apps have already made updates so that you can continue using them with minimal disruption.

Twitter's approach to favor owned and operated APIs has been a sore spot for developers for years.

In his email via tweet, Johnson noted Twitter hasn't "always done a good job of being straightforward with developers" in past years (notably 2011 and 2012). This go round, Johnson was frank that Twitter is facing technical and business constraints that mean legacy APIs have to go -- including one in beta for nine years.

Also: Twitter clamps down on developer access to APIs TechRepublic

Johnson said Twitter is "committed to understanding why people hire third party clients over our own apps" and will do better with communication.

Social media cannot be trusted without these features

Previous and related coverage:

Twitter releases tool to improve political ad transparency

Ad Transparency Center provides information about how much advertisers spent and what factors they used for targeting demographics.

With physical key support, Twitter makes hacking into accounts much more difficult

Now you can log in with a push of a button ... almost.