Discover the decentralized powerhouse, Threads as it enters the social media battlefield. Explore how Meta’s Twitter rival connects communities and ensures privacy. Get ready to embrace a new era of text-based conversation. Join Threads today!
While we eagerly await the showdown between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk in the physical realm, an exciting battle is brewing in their virtual domains.
Threads, Instagram’s rival to Twitter, is set to launch this week, joining the already crowded arena of social media apps.
What sets Threads apart from Twitter is its decentralization, which means it is not owned or regulated by any single individual or organization, much like cryptocurrencies. This aligns with the vision Elon Musk has had for Twitter since acquiring it.
In the world of social media, it is not uncommon for technology companies to launch apps that resemble and potentially improve upon the success of their competitors.
The first whispers of Threads surfaced in March when reports revealed that Meta would introduce an Instagram-branded app to compete with Twitter, which a company representative later confirmed. At that time, the project was known as “P92.”
Neither Instagram, Meta Platforms nor its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, have released official statements about Threads. Even the listing on Apple’s App Store provides limited details. However, here’s what we know about it so far.
What is Threads?
According to the App Store description, Threads is “Instagram’s text-based conversation app” that allows users to “say more.”
Threads serve as a platform where communities can gather to discuss various topics, from today’s interests to tomorrow’s trends. It enables users to follow and directly connect with their favourite creators and others who share similar passions. Alternatively, users can build their own loyal following to express their ideas, opinions, and creativity to the world.
The screenshots on the App Store showcase features such as finding followers, the ability to follow the same accounts as on Instagram, and conversations similar to Instagram threads (hence the name “Threads”).
Although Meta has provided minimal details on the App Store, it is evident that users can reply to, repost, and forward posts, much like Twitter. Additionally, Threads allow users to choose their desired audience for post replies.
One advantage of Threads is that users can tap into their existing Instagram circles, eliminating the need to start from scratch and build a new community. Despite this integration, Threads remains a standalone app.
Availability and Compatibility
Threads will be available for download on Thursday and can already be pre-ordered on the App Store.
Compatibility-wise, Threads will be accessible on iPhones and iPod Touches running iOS 14 or later. It will not be available for iPads, which is consistent with Instagram’s absence from Apple’s tablets.
Initially, Threads was released on the US App Store, leading to speculations about a limited release. However, it soon became available in Europe, and The National can confirm that pre-order downloads are also available in the UAE.
The exact time for device downloads to commence on Thursday remains unclear.
Android Users and Availability
Curiously, Threads briefly appeared on Google Play on Sunday but has since disappeared and is currently unavailable at the time of writing.
Speculations suggest that its initial appearance may have been a mistake, but no further details are available. There is no word on when Threads will be released for the operating system that powers nearly 72% of the world’s mobile phones as of March, according to Statista.
Data Handling and Privacy
According to its App Store profile, Threads may collect and link data to the user’s identity, including financial and sensitive information. This surpasses the data collection practices of Twitter.
For users who are cautious about data access by companies, this could be a cause for concern. Meta has a history of privacy controversies, including its involvement in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and a record-breaking $1.3 billion fine in May for violating EU privacy laws.
The Significance of Decentralization
As a decentralized platform, Threads employs an open-source algorithm, allowing the public to inspect and scrutinize its proprietary software or even use it in other applications.
This transparency helps build user trust, and a Meta-powered app similar to Mastodon could drive open-source microblogging into the mainstream.
Leveraging its user base, Meta, based in California, could capitalize on the vast numbers associated with its platforms. As of January, Instagram alone boasted approximately two billion users, while its sister platforms, Facebook and WhatsApp, had 2.96 billion and two billion users, respectively, according to the latest data from Statista.
In comparison, Twitter has around 556 million users.
The precise connection between Threads and Meta’s other platforms remains unclear.
Language Support
Currently, Threads supports 31 languages, including Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmal, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
This implies that the app will be launched, at the very least, in countries where the listed languages are native.
Given the advancements in development and the user base Meta has in this region, it is expected that they will work towards supporting additional languages. Instagram took seven years to support Arabic, finally implementing it in 2017. However, we anticipate a faster implementation this time around.
Is There Another App Named ‘Threads’?
Just for fun, there is indeed an app called Threads available on both the App Store and Google Play. This communications platform has been around for over four years.
However, it is easy to distinguish Meta’s upcoming offering from the existing app. When searching for “Threads” on the App Store, one of the top suggestions is “Threads, an Instagram app.” On Google Play, the description of the incumbent Threads app explicitly states that it is not affiliated with Threads by Meta (in all caps, emphasizing the distinction).
Interestingly, searching solely for “Threads” on the App Store does not yield Instagram’s app in the results. An alternative method to pre-order the app is to search for it on the web using your mobile device and then tap on the result from the App Store, which will take you directly to the download/pre-order page.
