Launching the fast growing Threads app, Meta is threatened by Twitter

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is making headlines with its latest app, Threads, which is being positioned as a competitor to Twitter. Surprisingly, the app has already gained over 70 million downloads within the first few days. In response, Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, is feeling threatened and even considering legal action.

In an impressive feat, Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Threads, their new app, has amassed a staggering 100 million sign-ups in less than a week. Launched on July 5 by the Instagram team, Threads aims to rival Twitter as a text-based conversation platform and has quickly gained popularity. While it remains to be seen if this surge in sign-ups will translate into long-term engagement, reaching this milestone is certainly noteworthy.

Joining Threads is a straightforward process: users can simply sign in using their Instagram credentials and retain their username, followers, and verification status.

Although the development of Threads reportedly began in January, its launch coincides with Elon Musk's recent announcement of temporary limits on the number of tweets one can read per day on Twitter. While these limits were temporary, they appear to have caused lasting damage.

Amidst the ongoing changes at Twitter, social media users have been actively seeking alternative platforms. Threads, with its capability to share text, videos, and photos, as well as engage in real-time conversations, offers itself as a viable option.

Threads

Developed by Meta's Instagram team, Threads is a platform that enables users to publish short posts or updates of up to 500 characters. It allows for the inclusion of links, photos, or videos of up to five minutes in length. The app is closely integrated with users' Instagram accounts, and according to Meta, users can easily share a Threads post to their Instagram story or share it as a link on other platforms of their choice.

The Threads feed presents posts from people and accounts followed on both Instagram and Threads, along with recommendations for undiscovered content. Users also have the option to filter specific words from their feed and control who can mention them.

Threads is free to use and can be downloaded from the App Store (iOS) and the Play Store (Android). Although the app launched in more than 100 countries, its release in the European Union has reportedly been delayed due to data-sharing concerns between Instagram and Threads.

Some users have expressed dissatisfaction with Threads due to the absence of a feed solely consisting of content from people they follow and the lack of a chronological feed.

Additionally, users are frustrated by the inability to delete Threads without affecting their Instagram accounts. Responding to these concerns, Mosseri, head of Instagram, assured users that future versions of Threads would incorporate options for chronological feeds and following feeds.

What features can users expect in future of Threads?

Mosseri and other representatives have provided insights into features currently in development for Threads. As Mosseri stated, the current version of Threads is just the beginning.

Some of the upcoming features and settings include:

• Chronological feed

• Following feed

• The ability to delete a Threads account without deleting the associated Instagram account

• Improved search functionality

• Hashtags

• Graph syncing

• Messaging capabilities (possibly)

• Support for ActivityPub, which would allow Threads to be part of the fediverse—a network of interconnected servers operated by third parties that facilitates communication among various social platforms

• Multiple account options

• Web interface

The rivalry between Meta's Threads and Twitter extends beyond the personal competition between Musk and Zuckerberg. Threads, with its built-in integration with Instagram, has the advantage of attracting users rapidly within a short span of time.