Twitter has previewed an update to its character limit rules on the iOS version of its app, changing some of the fundamental rules of how the platform operates, to the general confusion and dismay of most users.

The change in how replies on the service would work was first announced in May, when Twitter unveiled a series of steps it was taking to simplify its 140 character limit and make the platform friendlier to new users.

Twitter has already rolled out changes including removing attached media like photos or videos from the character limit to generally positive reaction, but its latest update has been met with complaints and concerns that it makes users timelines almost impossible to navigate.

The latest update means that replies to other users no longer include their username, freeing up a number of characters for more text. However, users faced with this change have complained it actually robs the platform of functionality, making it difficult to add or remove people from a conversation, as well as making the timeline more confusing to look at.

The update was actually rolled back a few hours later, with Twitter claiming that it was “an experiment around replies” that accidentally went live, but given the announcements it made earlier in the year, it seems more likely that this was a preview of what users can expect from Twitter in the future.