Trending news: Twitter testing news tab feature on Android and iOS

Twitter currently has about 320 million users, which puts it far behind rivals like Facebook with 1.4 billion users and dangerously close to Facebook-owned Instagram with 300 million users.

Twitter-has-added-a-News-Tab-to-it-s-Android-and-iOS-apps-Photo-Buzzfeed-News

The experimental feature, currently live in the US and Japan, simply brings up a list of headlines that are trending on Twitter. Tap on a headline and you'll be taken to a story screen that features an image, a block of text from the report and top tweets discussing the story.

It's a great way to put Twitter's best content right up front and for good reason: The micro-blogging site has been criticised for being a confusing mess for new users. According to The Atlantic, over a billion people have signed up for the service and have never returned.

Twitter currently has about 320 million users, which puts it far behind rivals like Facebook with 1.4 billion users and dangerously close to Facebook-owned Instagram with 300 million users.

"We're experimenting with a news experience on iOS and Android as we continue to explore new ways to surface the best content to users," a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed Tech in a statement.

The news tab makes Twitter more accessible by leading with headlines - a form of content that is friendlier to most people - instead of tweets. But more importantly, it could also provide the platform with valuable advertising real estate.

'The news tab could give advertisers a less conversational experience with defined topics they can plan around,' writes BuzzFeed's Alex Krantowitz. 'Sports news, for instance, would likely be of interest to a sporting equipment advertiser.'