Meta, the company led by Mark Zuckerberg, has developed a new microblogging app called Threads that is set to rival Twitter, according to reports by the BBC. The app is scheduled to be launched on Thursday and will offer text-based conversations, resembling Twitter in many ways. Notably, Threads will allow users to log in using their Instagram accounts, further integrating the two platforms.
While Meta is confident in the app’s potential, it has decided not to release Threads in European Union countries at present. However, interested users can pre-order the app on the Apple App Store. The connection with Instagram is emphasized in the app’s listing, with users being able to utilize their existing Instagram accounts and usernames to log in. This move by Meta marks the latest development in the ongoing competition between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter.
Threads may pose a significant threat to Twitter, which has experienced a series of challenges since Elon Musk acquired the platform. Musk has introduced new rules and regulations that have frustrated users, such as limiting the number of tweets non-verified account holders can view per day.
Unverified users are now restricted to viewing only 1,000 tweets, while verified users can access up to 10,000 tweets daily. These changes have sparked outrage among Twitter users, and Meta’s Zuckerberg is capitalizing on this opportunity.
It is expected that Threads will not impose similar restrictions on posting or viewing, and the service will be offered for free. While other Twitter-like apps, including former US President Donald Trump’s Truth Social and Mastodon, have emerged in recent years, they have failed to surpass the popularity of Elon Musk’s Twitter. However, Threads has the potential to become a significant competitor to Twitter upon its launch.
Meta has a history of introducing features to combat popular platforms, as demonstrated by the addition of Reels Videos to Facebook as a response to the rise of TikTok. Threads, with its integration with Instagram, is set to attract millions of users from the start, avoiding the need to build a user base from scratch like other Twitter competitors. As Meta continues to innovate and challenge established platforms, the competition between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk intensifies.
