Twitter Blue subscription priced at Rs 999 for iPhone users and I am not paying for it

When Jack Dorsey was the Twitter boss, the verification process on the platform was different and simpler. And users at least had clarity on what needed to be done to get the blue check next to their name. Previously, one had to apply for verification with supporting details, and only after the dedicated Twitter team verified and approved the documents one would get the blue tick. The new Twitter boss, Elon Musk, however, has a different opinion. He believes that the past system was "corrupt" and is now changing the way one gets the blue tick. He wants people to pay if they want the blue tick on the microblogging platform. Until now, getting verified on Twitter was free of cost.

After multiple failed attempts, Musk finally launched the Twitter Blue subscription for the public that brings a host of new features including access to the blue tick. So, does that mean that all Blue users will be eligible to get the blue checkmark? Yes, kind of. But Twitter has also listed some basic set of checkpoints that Blue users must meet in order to get the tick next to their name. Some of these are:

-- Must have a display name and profile photo

--The account must be active in the past 30 days to subscribe to Twitter Blue

-- Account must be older than 90 days upon subscription

--The account should have a confirmed phone number

-- No recent changes to your profile photo, display name, or username

-- Account must have no signs of being misleading or deceptive

-- No signs of engaging in platform manipulation and spam.­

Along with the arrival of Twitter Blue, there is another change: the verification process is on pause for all those who want a Verified badge for free. Globally, the Twitter Blue subscription for Android is available at $8 while iPhone users will need to pay slightly more at $11. In India, Twitter has priced Blue for iPhone subscription at Rs 999 (as listed on the App store), while the price for Android users hasn't been revealed yet. Actually, it is not yet available through Android. You can only get it via iPhone or a web browser.

Right now, users (like me) who have the blue tick will continue to have it until Musk takes it back. He recently said that most "legacy" blue tick account holders -- even his profile comes under "legacy blue tick account" -- will lose the verification in the coming months. I have the blue tick and going by Musk's new rules, it is clear that if I want to retain the verification, I will need to pay around Rs 999 per month since I use an iPhone. But will I pay that much money for just a blue tick is the question?

Personally, I do not think I would pay nearly Rs 1000 per month for a blue tick on Twitter that barely gives me anything in return other than access to the latest updates around the world. Now, I can get these updates even without a Blue subscription. So why pay for something that you can get for free?

To attract more and more users to buy the membership, Musk packs the blue subscription with premium features like undo tweets, themes, custom app icons, bookmark folders and some more. But these features aren't so interesting or useful for a basic user like me and definitely not worth Rs 999 a month. For comparison, the Amazon Prime that gives free delivery as well as access to all audio and video content costs Rs 1499 per annum in India. Even programs like Adobe or Microsoft Office cost much less than what Musk wants users to pay for Twitter.

Now, Twitter is leaving no stone unturned and is trying its best to tempt users to subscribe to Blue membership. The company recently said that Blue users will be able to get early access to upcoming features like the edit button. But that still doesn't convince me to pay such a hefty amount every month. Having said that, even if Twitter charged less for the tick, I wouldn't pay for it and that's because I will not get anything beneficial in return.

For instance: I do pay for subscriptions like YouTube Premium, JioSaavan, Netflix, and many other OTT platforms since they offer better benefits and an ad-free experience. But that's not the case with Twitter Blue. The company has clearly mentioned that the Blue subsection isn't ad-free for now but going forward will offer "fewer" ads when compared to the free version of the platform.

There's practically nothing -- apart from a Blue badge that everyone is going to know is paid for -- that Musk is offering in exchange for Rs 999. Personally, I am perfectly fine losing the blue tick, which doesn't add a lot of value to my regular life in any manner possible.

Just to get a different perspective, I asked some of my colleagues and friends with blue tick on Twitter if they would be willing to pay for the verification and their thoughts matched mine. None of them agreed to pay as much as Rs 1000 for just a verification every single month and said they are happy to lose the blue tick from their name. So, the blue subscription, in my opinion, is probably going to be relevant only for businesses or government agencies or celebrities who wish to look important and reliable. But for general users like you and me, paying so much for just a Blue tick makes no sense.