Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has on Wednesday, officially launched the much-anticipated Twitter-like app called Threads, setting up a rivalry with Twitter by offering a space for real-time conversations online.
Threads function, which is notably Twitter’s key selling point, now creates an alternative for Twitter users who are disgruntled by the changes brought by Elon Musk.
Zuckerberg who owns a social media conglomerate that includes Facebook and Instagram decided to release the app 15 hours earlier than planned, launching it at 7 pm EDT in the US and midnight in the UK. It is now accessible in 100 countries through the Apple and Google app stores. However, due to regulatory concerns, the app will not be available in the EU.
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The app bears numerous similarities to Twitter, including its layout and product description. The listing, initially teased earlier this week, highlights its ability to attract a following and facilitate connections with like-minded individuals.
“The vision for Threads is to create an option and friendly public space for conversation,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Threads post following the launch. “We hope to take what Instagram does best and create a new experience around text, ideas, and discussing what’s on your mind.”
According to the app’s listing, Threads is a place where communities can come together to discuss everything from the topics they care about today to what’s trending, mirroring Twitter’s core functions.
“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,” it reads.
Meta announced that messages posted on Threads would be limited to 500 characters. The company also stated that the app would be available in 100 countries through Apple’s iOS and Android platforms.
Upon downloading the app, users are prompted to connect their Instagram accounts, personalize their profiles, and follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram.
The app’s interface resembles Twitter, featuring a familiar layout, a text-based feed, and the ability to repost and quote other Thread posts. Additionally, it incorporates Instagram’s visual style and allows for seamless sharing of Thread posts directly to Instagram Stories. Verified Instagram accounts are automatically verified on Threads, and users can choose to make their Thread accounts public or private.
As Meta, with its extensive resources and massive user base, enters the market, Threads joins a growing list of Twitter competitors, potentially posing a significant threat to Twitter’s dominance.
The anticipated fight between Musk and Zuckerberg was orchestrated by the former’s move to create a similar app to Twitter.
Last month, Musk responded to a tweet about Threads saying: “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options,” and followed up with a tweet teasing a cage fight Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg, posting a screenshot of Musk’s tweet overlaid in an Instagram story, fired back with the caption: “Send Me Location.”
But before the cage fight, Zuckerberg has thrown the first punch with the launch of Threads. The launch of Threads coincides with Twitter’s period of chaos that was amplified during the weekend by Musk’s decision to put temporary limits on the number of tweets users can view within the app.
Though Musk said the restrictions had been applied “to address extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation,” it stirred resentment from Twitter users.
The development added to the many grudges several Twitter users hold against Musk for introducing unpopular changes since he took over late last year.
Musk has also had a fallout with advertisers who have left Twitter in droves because of his style of running the platform. With a growing number of Twitter users who are dissatisfied with the way Musk is running the platform, Threads may become the sane alternative.
“It will take some time, but I think there should be a public conversation app with 1 billion+ on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully, we will,” Zuckerberg said on Threads.