What you need to know
- Threads by Instagram went live on July 5, 2023 and already has over 30 million users less than 24 hours later.
- Threads was originally created to be a Snapchat competitor but has since morphed into a Twitter competitor.
- The Threads app is available on Android and iOS but there's no desktop or browser mode yet.
Elon Musk better watch out because Mark Zuckerberg is back with a new social network that aims to steal plenty of users away from Twitter. Threads by Instagram is now live and has already grown by tens of millions of users overnight thanks to Meta's easy sign-up process. If you've got an Instagram account, signing up with Threads just takes a few taps.
Threads by Instagram surprisingly launched as a new chat app for Instagram users way back in 2019 and was looking to challenge Snapchat at the time. Now, the relaunch is squarely aimed at the Twitter crowd, likely aiming to help users migrate to a different-yet-similar platform if they're unhappy with the change in management over at the blue bird social network.
Threads can be downloaded on Android or iOS for free. As many had pointed out leading up to the launch of the new social network, the app collects a lot of data and seems to be in line with Meta's normal data collection policies. If you're a Facebook or Instagram user, you're likely already well acquainted with how much data Meta collects on its users.
Threads is fairly simple at the moment, with a Twitter-like UI and a home feed that currently displays a lot of public profiles and doesn't yet seem to have a way to only view accounts you follow.
There's also no desktop interface at the moment — although you can install the app on a Windows 11-based PC — but it works really well on all the best phones. It also doesn't have a tablet UI so it'll show up as a vertical app on foldables. Despite this, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that over 30 million people have already signed up in less than 24 hours since the app launched.
