Mark Zuckerberg is launching its new app for Meta Threads to rival Twitter, and says it will go live on Thursday. The Meta Threads App is available for pre-order on the Apple App Store, will be linked to Instagram. In May 2023, Meta announced its Twitter competitor in response to users seeking alternatives. Meta named its upcoming social media platform as Threads.
Disappointed users who planned to leave the popular blue bird app because of the decisions made by Elon Musk after he purchased the company back in 2022. These decisions included implementing paid verification, API changes, and, most recently, reading limits.
Twitter rival Thread
Meta had promised a similar yet better experience with Twitter alternative Meta Threads and Twitter users eagerly counted down the days before the platform became unusable, it was no secret that there was hype for this Twitter alternative, Threads app and to see if it could compete with the giant blue bird.
The Threads app a Twitter alternative will allow users to create 500 character posts and share images and videos as well. Users will also be able to merge data from their Instagram accounts, meaning that their followers and blocked user details will be transferred to this new app. When Threads was first announced as Twitter competitor, it was only available to notable users, such as celebrities, athletes, and filmmakers. Then, Meta also sought after influencers to be “early adopters” for the social media platform.
Screengrabs show a dashboard that looks similar to Twitter. Meta describes Threads as a “text based conversation app” allowing its users to “share their ideas and opinions” with the world. The move is the latest in a rivalry between Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter owner Elon Musk. “Thank goodness they’re so sanely run“, Musk responded to a tweet about Threads, in an apparent fresh swipe at Zuckerberg.
Meanwhile, Twitter has said that the popular user dashboard, TweetDeck will go behind a paywall in 30 days’ time.
Thread’s ease of use
After a few months of anticipation, Meta has announced an official date for the app’s public release. Threads will be released on July 6, 2023, and will be available on both, the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. According to Deadline, a preview of the Threads App description was found early on the Apple App Store.
Threads might have an advantage due to its direct integration with Instagram. The app seamlessly imports your existing Instagram followers and following lists, eliminating the need to rebuild your community from scratch.
While Meta Threads is closely linked with Instagram, it functions as a stand-alone app. Although limited details are available from the App Store listing, it appears that users can like, comment, repost, and share posts. The provided screenshots demonstrate the ability to choose the audience who can reply to your posts, whether it be everyone, people you follow, or only those mentioned in the post.
It appears from Meta’s Threads app that it will be a free service and there will be no restrictions on how many posts a user can see. “Say more with Threads, Instagram’s text based conversation app. “Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow” the description on the App Store says.
Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.”
Pictures show screengrabs from the Threads app that look almost identical to Twitter. As it is Meta Threads, it will also hoover up data on your phone, including location data, purchases and browsing history.
Competing with Twitter
Several apps that bear a striking resemblance to Twitter have sprung up in recent years, such as Donald Trump’s Truth Social and Mastodon. Meta has the resources to be Twitter competitor. Meta Threads will be part of the Instagram platform, so it will also be connected to hundreds of millions of accounts. It’s not starting from zero, as other would-be rivals have had to do.
It is interesting to see that Twitter isn’t afraid of competition. When Threads app was first announced back in May, the newly appointed CEO, Linda Yaccarino, shared her enthusiasm to see more competitors in the space via a tweet.
Few other similar apps
Another similar app, Bluesky claimed to have seen “record” traffic after Musk’s move to restrict usage at the weekend. However, Threads could be the biggest threat faced by Twitter to date. Mark Zuckerberg has a history of borrowing other company’s ideas – and making them work.
Meta’s Reels is widely seen as a TikTok copy, while Stories looks similar to Snapchat.
Conclusion
Would Meta’s Thread be able to stand tall against Twitter, which is at a disadvantage especially given all the changes that it has been making, Zuckerberg will hope he can do so by giving a real alternative.
