Instagram is set to unveil its latest offering, Threads, a stand-alone app that aims to bring like-minded individuals together.
With its expected launch on July 6, Threads is set to provide a seamless experience by directly porting over users’ existing Instagram followers and following lists, eliminating the need to build a community from scratch.
The app, called Threads, will function similarly to Twitter, with text-based posts that can be liked, commented on, and shared.
The app, now available on the iOS App Store in the United States, is being positioned as Instagram’s potential answer to Twitter, a competitor that recently faced backlash due to rate-limit errors.
During this time, rival platforms such as Spill, Bluesky, and Post experienced significant growth. However, Threads may have an advantage with its integration of Instagram’s already established user base.
“Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow,” the App Store description reads.
“Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favourite 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 said.
Despite its close ties to Instagram, Threads will function as an independent app, separate from the parent platform. While details remain sparse from the App Store listing alone, preliminary information suggests that users will be able to like, comment, repost, and share posts.
The provided screenshots reveal a feature allowing users to choose who can reply to their posts, whether it be everyone, people they follow, or only those mentioned in the post.
Rumours about Threads have been circulating, creating anticipation. Instagram’s spokesperson and leaked slides suggest it is a “decentralised” app compatible with Mastodon. However, integrating a decentralised app into a centralised platform like Instagram raises questions that are yet to be clarified.
While Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has had mixed success with its previous side apps, such as tbh, Super, and Neighbourhoods, Threads appears to be entering the market at an opportune moment.
Twitter’s recent missteps have left a gap that Instagram seeks to fill with its community-centric approach. Ultimately, it will be up to users to determine whether they are open to Meta expanding its influence further into their social media experience.
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