Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has introduced a new app called Threads as a direct competitor to Twitter’s dominance in real-time conversations.
The app, which was officially launched on Wednesday, bears a striking resemblance to Twitter in terms of its layout and functionality.
Threads aims to provide users with a public space for conversations and connecting with like-minded individuals, leveraging the success of Instagram while focusing on text-based discussions and sharing of ideas.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, Threads received over 2 million sign-ups within the first two hours of its launch, surpassing 5 million sign-ups within four hours.
He believes that Threads has the potential to become a platform for public conversations with over 1 billion users, highlighting Twitter’s missed opportunity in this area.
Threads serves as a hub for communities to engage in discussions on various topics, both current and trending.
The app features a 500-character limit for posted messages and is available on iOS and Android devices in 100 countries.
During the installation process, users are prompted to link their Instagram accounts, customize their profiles, and follow the same accounts they already follow on Instagram.
Threads incorporates elements from both Twitter and Instagram, offering a familiar layout, a text-based feed, reposting and quoting of thread posts, and the ability to share 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.
Meta’s entry into the market presents a significant challenge to Twitter, given the company’s vast resources and massive audience.
Meanwhile, Twitter has recently faced challenges such as weekend outages and temporary limits on tweet consumption.
Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, defended these restrictions as measures to combat data scraping and system manipulation.
Musk’s controversial takeover of Twitter has caused disruptions on the platform, leading to conflicts with advertisers and notable users.
In an effort to revive growth, Twitter has announced plans to introduce a paid version of TweetDeck, a tool for organizing and monitoring followed accounts.
The rivalry between Meta and Twitter has intensified, with both companies encroaching on each other’s territories.
Twitter’s addition of encrypted messaging and planned voice calls positions the platform to compete with Meta’s Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
Musk and Zuckerberg have engaged in a war of words on social media, with Musk criticizing Meta’s control and suggesting a “cage match” with Zuckerberg.
In response, Zuckerberg posted a screenshot of Musk’s tweet on Instagram, inviting him to “Send Me Location.”
DON’T MISS: Getting Started on Threads: A Quick Guide
The launch of Threads prompted Zuckerberg to tweet an image of two cartoon Spider-Men pointing at each other, symbolizing the rivalry between the two tech giants.