Instagram's Threads app: Meta introduces Twitter's competitor

Instagram, owned by the tech giant Meta, on Wednesday, unveiled its new app called 'Threads' a new app designed to directly compete with Elon Musk's Twitter.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a US-based media house, Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch, framing Threads as "a new, separate space for real-time updates and public conversations."

Threads will be linked to users' Instagram profiles, making it simple to connect with followers, prominent personalities, or brands. The length of the text posts will be limited to 500 characters. (In comparison, Twitter has a character restriction of 280, which increases to 10,000 for Twitter Blue subscribers.)

Instagram claims that accounts will be private by default, with a main feed made up of accounts you follow and suggested content from authors you may not have discovered yet. Threads can be shared on Instagram stories or via a link, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Threads will be available in over 100 countries, with apps for iOS and Android, and new features like an improved recommendation engine and search functionality will be added over time.

"Our vision is that people using compatible apps will be able to follow and interact with people on Threads without having a Threads account, and vice versa, ushering in a new era of diverse and interconnected networks," the company wrote in a blog post. "Threads is Meta's first app envisioned to be compatible with an open social networking protocol - we hope that by joining this fast-growing ecosystem of interoperable services, Threads will help people find their community, no matter what app they use," reported The Hollywood Reporter.

The App Store description read, "Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what'll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you're interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite 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."

While there have been several alternatives to Twitter (such as Mastodon, Truth Social, and Bluesky), none have been able to recreate the network effects. Instagram believes that by bringing over its existing social graphs, Threads will have an advantage over its competitors, as per The Hollywood Reporter.