Meta is planning to officially launch its Twitter-competitor, called Threads later this week. Although they have already dropped the app on the US’ iOS App Store, users will be able to join from July 6. The timing seems perfect given Twitter’s shenanigans
Meta has launched the beta version of its Twitter competitor called ‘Threads’ on the US version of the iOS App Store. The app is expected to officially launch on July 6, according to data uploaded on the App Store.
This timing works in favour of Instagram Threads as Twitter recently experienced rate-limit errors, leading to the growth of competitors like Spill, Bluesky, and Post.
An integrated platform
However, Instagram Threads has an advantage because it seamlessly integrates users’ Instagram followers and following lists. Users will not have to start building a community from scratch as their existing Instagram circles will already be present on Threads.
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According to the description on the App Store, Threads is a platform where communities gather to discuss various topics of interest. Users can follow and directly connect with their favourite creators and others who share similar interests. They can also build their own loyal following and share their ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world.
In a companywide meeting last month, Meta executives shared that Instagram Threads will integrate with the decentralized social media protocol used by Mastodon, called ActivityPub. That’s also the meeting where an exec said, “We’ve been hearing from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run.”
Closely tied to Instagram and other Meta offerings, but is its own app
While Threads is closely tied to Instagram, it will function as a standalone app. The available information from the App Store listing suggests that users can like, comment, repost, and share posts. The screenshots also indicate that users can choose the audience who can reply to their posts, including everyone, people they follow, or only those mentioned in the post.
The launch of Threads doesn’t come as a surprise, as details have been gradually emerging over the past few months. Instagram has described Threads as “decentralized,” and leaked slides from a briefing with top creators mentioned compatibility with Mastodon, a decentralized network hosted on ActivityPub.
However, the integration of Threads with Instagram, a centralized app, raises questions about the validity of this rumour. Nevertheless, other rumours seem to be confirmed as the details in the App Store listing align with what was revealed in the leaked slides.
Meta’s history of launching unsuccessful apps
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has had mixed success with its side apps in the past. Some products, such as the anonymous teen app ‘tbh’ and the couples app Tuned, have been discontinued.
However, Threads has the potential to capitalize on Twitter’s ongoing issues. Ultimately, consumers will decide whether they want Meta to dominate yet another aspect of their social media experience.
Users expecting to jump onto Meta’s new platform will have to wait, however. Even in the US, Meta is likely to roll the app out and the chance to signup very slowly as they wouldn’t want to hamper the experience of new users in any way. Similarly, interested users from the rest of world will have to wait.
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