Discover the key differentiators between Instagram's new app for public conversations, Threads, and the popular social media platform Twitter.

Mark Zuckerberg's much-awaited rival app to Twitter has finally arrived after months of speculation and secrecy.

On Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg's company Meta unveiled Threads, a new companion app to the photo-sharing network Instagram, which they purchased over 10 years ago, and the app has already been dubbed as a potential replacement for rival social media platform, Twitter.

The competition between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk has intensified with the launch of Threads, which pits Zuckerberg's app against Musk's acquisition of Twitter that happened last year. In recent times, Musk has played around with Twitter's algorithm and features, as well as imposed temporary limits on how many tweets users can access, causing widespread resentment amongst users.

Numerous tech firms have attempted to leverage Twitter's recent troubles, but Threads has a significant edge, powered by Meta's substantial financial resources and Instagram's extensive user base with more than two billion monthly 1 users worldwide.

On Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg expressed his belief on his Threads account that there should exist a public conversations app with over 1 billion users, highlighting Twitter's missed opportunity in achieving this. He expressed hope that Threads would fill this void. Additionally, he shared that Threads garnered 5 million sign-ups within four hours of its launch, and a few hours later, the number had increased to 10 million.

Elon Musk shared his opinion on Threads, indicating that he was unimpressed and further claiming that he had already deactivated his Instagram account. On Twitter, he stated that he prefers to endure attacks from strangers on Twitter rather than engage in the superficial happiness of Instagram.

Here is some information you should know about Threads.
What exactly is Threads and what are its functioning mechanisms?
Threads, developed by Instagram, is marketed as an application that enables people to have live, open discussions with each other. Additionally, Threads effectively promotes Instagram, a prominent app among Meta's collection of products.

During an interview, Adam Mosseri said “The idea is to hopefully build an open, friendly space for communities.”

Instagram has closely linked Threads with its platform. Currently, individuals who wish to register for the new app must possess an Instagram account. Furthermore, a user's Threads username must align with their Instagram handle.

Moreover, individuals will have the capability to effortlessly transfer their list of Instagram followers to Threads if desired. Furthermore, Instagram's verified users will maintain their verified status on the new app. Users also have the option to customize their Threads account settings as either private or public.

What similarities and differences can be identified between Threads and Twitter?
Threads bear a striking resemblance to Twitter in various aspects. Users have the ability to compose predominantly text-based messages that appear on a scrolling feed, where their followers and followed individuals can engage in replies. Additionally, users can also share photos or videos on the app.

However, Threads diverges from Twitter in certain aspects. Notably, it presently does not offer support for direct messaging, a functionality that Twitter provides. Instagram has indicated that they may consider incorporating additional features into Threads based on user feedback and requests.

What was the process behind the development of Threads by Instagram?
According to Mr. Mosseri, Instagram has 1ly worked towards streamlining its app in recent years. As a part of this initiative, Threads was developed as a separate app. This decision was made to prevent Instagram from becoming overly cluttered while attempting to incorporate public conversations within its existing app.

Mr. Mosseri further stated that it was difficult to pass up on the opportunity to produce a new app, particularly during a volatile phase in the realm of social media.

According to Mr. Mosseri, there was a noticeable opportunity or need for more individuals to engage in the public realm, which was influenced by the transformations occurring on Twitter under Mr. Musk. He emphasized that the opportunity to compete with Twitter arose due to changes and choices made by Mr. Musk and other individuals, affecting the functioning of the social platform.

In late 2021, Instagram initiated its campaign to compete with Twitter by convening numerous engineers, product managers, and designers to propose concepts for a rival app. During this period, the team at Meta discussed various ideas, including expanding the usage of a feature called Instagram Notes, which enables users to share brief messages on the platform. They also explored the possibility of developing a text-centric app incorporating Instagram's technology.

Mr. Mosseri and the other managers ultimately made the decision to take a risk and invest in the development of a messaging app. They fully committed to the creation of what would later become Threads.

How will Threads integrate or interact with other apps?
Instagram's ultimate objective is to enable Threads to seamlessly operate across various applications within the Fediverse. The term "Fediverse" refers to a federated universe of services that share common communication protocols. This concept is already implemented by other platforms such as Mastodon, another social network.

While it may come across as technical jargon, in simple terms, Instagram's intention is to streamline the functionality of Threads with other platforms. By doing so, creators and influencers can avoid the hassle of starting from scratch on each individual app, which could be highly appealing to them.

According to Mr. Mosseri, if a creator successfully grows a substantial follower base on Threads, they would have the potential to transfer those followers to other platforms that utilize the same technology. This approach reduces the risk for creators and eliminates the feeling of being confined or limited to a single platform.

Has Instagram replicated or imitated other apps?
Mr. Zuckerberg's company, Meta, which is the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, has a significant track record of attempting to eliminate social media competitors, often by duplicating their features. His competitive nature has fueled his desire to have a product that is equivalent to Twitter's.

While implementing such a strategy does not guarantee success, Facebook's initial endeavors to replicate the ephemeral messaging app Snapchat did not initially gain significant traction.

Despite this, Meta has persisted in replicating its competitors. In 2020, Meta introduced Reels, a platform similar to TikTok that emphasizes short videos. Reels has gained considerable popularity since its launch.

Where will Threads be available?
Threads can now be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play store in the United States and approximately 100 other countries. Furthermore, there are plans to extend its availability to additional locations in the future.

However, Meta announced that Threads will not be immediately accessible in the European Union, which is among one of its major markets. This is due to the enactment of a new E.U. regulation, the Digital Markets Act, which will restrict how large tech firms share data between services. Consequently, Meta is hesitant to launch Threads throughout the 27-nation bloc until it receives additional information regarding the law's enforcement.