Twitter currently has a lot of competition for its premier photo-sharing application, and Twizgrid has just stepped up its game again. The increasingly popular photo browser released a significant upgrade last week after only one month of public use.

New features on offer include a large increase in available photo content and access to Twitter users’ home timelines. A recent album feature allows users to view images in real time, which they can then sort by topic, person or location.

Twizgrid’s update combines features of other popular photo-sharing sites like Instagram and Pinterest, while pursuing a more user-driven approach.

The most significant change, and the one which has people talking the most, is the addition of an “Around Me” album, which shows photos considered “nearby,” such as similar apps like Twitpic, yfrog, Banjo or Highlight.

The app will also link to photos from the same or similar locations, or happening at the same time. The idea behind it is to make users feel more connected in real time to things happening around them, such as parties or current events. 

Twizgrid believes that “photos are the ultimate universal language,” so they are tapping in to the social media powerhouse, Twitter, to offer an alternative online social experience, conducted exclusively through pictures rather than tweets.

“Twizgrid now offers an enticing way to view what’s happening in the immediate vicinity, whether it’s a raging part or a raging fire,” said co-founder Chauncey Regan.

Users aren’t the only ones talking, either. The app has been named the Official Apple “What’s Hot” winner for the Photo and Video category, as well as winning “App of the Week” by TWiT Social Hour.

The app is available to those without a Twitter, giving it a broader appeal, and users are given more choices in order to quell privacy concerns associated with any app that taps into surrounding Internet content. Twizgrid does not pinpoint a user’s precise location unless given permission on a per-photo basis.

For those looking to test out the new app, Twizgrid is currently available for free on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The program will reportedly continue releasing upgrades in the near future, in hopes of attaining the ultimate goal: securing the position of top photo-sharing app.

Regan insists “our unwavering objective is to be the most cohesive, comprehensive and compelling platform to display Twitter photos.”