Facebook’s parent company Meta is set to roll out its new application ‘Threads’ to compete directly with Twitter, with its official launch slated for this Thursday.
Threads, now available for pre-order on Apple’s App Store, will be integrated with Instagram. With a user interface that bears a strong resemblance to Twitter, Threads is described by Meta as a “text-based conversation app”.
This development escalates the ongoing competition between Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Elon Musk. The duo jokingly agreed to a physical duel last month, although the seriousness of the proposition remains uncertain.
Musk reacted to Threads news with a subtle jibe at Zuckerberg, stating, “Thank goodness they’re so sanely run”. Meanwhile, Twitter announced plans to make its popular dashboard, TweetDeck, a paid service in the next 30 days. This move is Musk’s latest attempt to encourage user subscriptions to Twitter’s premium service, Twitter Blue.
Over the weekend, Musk limited the number of visible tweets, citing rampant “data scraping”. Meta’s Threads app, in contrast, is expected to be a free service with unrestricted post visibility.
The App Store’s description for Threads reads, “Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow.”
As part of Meta’s ecosystem, Threads will collect user data, such as location, purchases, and browsing history. Similar apps, like Donald Trump’s Truth Social and Mastodon, have emerged recently. Another app, Bluesky, reported “record” traffic following Musk’s usage restrictions.
However, Threads, backed by Meta’s resources and linked to Instagram’s vast user base, may present Twitter with its greatest competition yet. Zuckerberg has a track record of adapting successful features from other platforms, like TikTok’s Reels and Snapchat’s Stories.
Musk, despite being applauded for supporting free speech, has also distanced some users. Zuckerberg hopes to attract these disillusioned Twitter users to Threads, offering a viable alternative platform.
