X consolidates user activity into new History tab on iOS
The social media giant’s latest update aims to function as a 'save-it-for-later' tool, responding to industry-wide declines in external referral traffic.
X has launched a new History tab on its iOS mobile application, consolidating previously fragmented user interactions into a single interface. The update merges bookmarks, likes, watched videos, and read articles, replacing the existing Bookmarks button in the app’s left-side menu. Initially available only on iOS, the feature is designed to streamline access to saved content and encourage deeper engagement with the platform’s formats.
Nikitia Bier, X head of product, described the update as a mechanism to help users track favourite content and return to items they wish to finish reading or watching later. The new interface separates saved content into four distinct tabs: bookmarks, likes, videos, and articles. While bookmarks and likes require intentional saving by the user, the videos and articles sections are populated automatically based on viewing and reading activity within the app.
The History section remains private to the individual user. This shift moves likes from a tab on the user profile to the main menu, while bookmarks are now accessible via the renamed menu item. By including automatically populated content, the feature aims to position the platform as a "save-it-for-later" tool, similar to a web browser, allowing users to return to previously viewed items without explicit saving actions.
The consolidation supports X’s broader strategy to promote its long-form article format. The company has been actively encouraging businesses and creators to share updates that exceed the standard 280-character post limit. Users can already track articles found while scrolling, effectively creating a personalised news reader within the app, a capability now centralised in the new History tab.
This move coincides with a broader trend in digital publishing where web publishers are experiencing declining referral traffic from platforms like Facebook and Google. Shifting algorithms and AI-powered experiences have reduced clicks to external sites. X views this shift as an opportunity to attract publishers and creators to write directly on its platform, leveraging built-in distribution and discovery mechanisms to retain user attention.
