Meta has officially launched its much-talked-about text-based standalone app, Threads. Threads is the Twitter clone that the world has pretty much been waiting for, and it seems to have launched in a big way.
As of last count, Threads already had 30 million users, a record considering it’s been barely 18 hours since it was launched on Android and iOS. It is pretty obvious that Threads is and will continue to attract millions of unhappy users on Twitter, and this should be of concern to Elon Musk and his team.
Unlike Twitter, Threads allows users to post up to 500 characters and boasts similar features as the former.
Reacting to the launch of Threads, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino said:
“On Twitter, everyone’s voice matters. Whether you’re here to watch history unfold, discover REAL-TIME information all over the world, share your opinions, or learn about others, on Twitter, YOU can be real. YOU built the Twitter community. And that’s irreplaceable. This is your public square. We’re often imitated, but the Twitter community can never be duplicated.”
Twitter should be worried, in my opinion, because with Threads, the competition is going to be different from what Bluesky, Mastodon, and others can offer.
While Threads may have enjoyed a massive and unprecedented start, it is important to stress the fact that there is still a long way to go to catch up with Twitter. Of course, Twitter has its many faults, and a few changes here and there could calm some nerves out there.
The good thing is that Mark Zuckerberg knows this and did not hesitate to throw in a word of caution.
“It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversation app with 1 billion+ people on it.
” Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully we will.”
For privacy and data-related reasons, Threads has yet to make its entry into Europe. Hopefully, this will be sorted out before long. That said, the fact that over 30 million people have already onboarded Threads on the first day is a good sign for Meta and a big worry for Twitter.
