The idea probably predates smartphones entirely. Given that twitter was originally sms-based not web-based, they probably came up with this idea as a means for those without active cell phones to access Twitter in some way, but couldn't get it into production until it was already obsolete.
BlinkReanimated t1_iy7arc6 wrote
Reply to comment by TheRealEvanG in TIL about the TwitterPeek, a Twitter-only mobile device introduced in 2009 that allowed users to send and receive tweets...and nothing else by wilymon
The idea probably predates smartphones entirely. Given that twitter was originally sms-based not web-based, they probably came up with this idea as a means for those without active cell phones to access Twitter in some way, but couldn't get it into production until it was already obsolete.