What is Threads? Here's all you need to about the potential 'Twitter Challenger'.

Recently, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, officially unveiled Threads, its response to Twitter.  This move comes merely three months after the initial announcement of the app's development.

Threads has started off on a strong note, amassing over 100 million sign-ups within a week of its launch. This includes a significant number of well-known brands, celebrities, journalists, and other prominent users.

The atmosphere surrounding Threads' launch resembled the excitement of the first day of school. Early adopters rushed to explore the app, posting their initial content and sparking debates about whether Threads could potentially dethrone Twitter. Impressively, Threads soared to the top of Apple's App Store charts and became a trending topic on Twitter.

Threads poses a serious challenge to Twitter, which has faced criticism since Elon Musk took over the platform in October 2022, leading it with a somewhat unpredictable approach. Twitter's vulnerability has been exacerbated recently, as users expressed frustration over a temporary daily content viewing limit. For Meta, Threads opens up opportunities to expand its range of popular apps and create a fresh platform for advertising.

Here's what you need to know about Meta's Threads:

**What is Threads?**

Threads is a new application developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The platform bears similarities to Twitter, with a feed predominantly focused on text-based posts. However, users can also share photos and videos, engaging in real-time conversations.

Threads enforces a 500-character limit for posted messages. Similar to Twitter, users can respond to, repost, and quote other users' Threads posts. Moreover, the app blends in features from Instagram's user interface and navigation system, even enabling the direct sharing of Threads posts to Instagram Stories.

**Threads Account Details**

User accounts on Threads can be designated as public or private. Instagram accounts that are verified will automatically carry over their verification status to Threads.

Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, described the vision for Threads as the creation of a friendly public space for conversation, emphasizing the fusion of Instagram's strengths with a renewed focus on text-based content and exchanging ideas.

Occasional glitches and content loading issues were experienced by some users in the initial hours after Threads' launch, which is unsurprising given the massive influx of users using the app simultaneously.

**Signing Up and Leaving Threads**

Users can sign up using their Instagram accounts, retaining the same username, password, and account name. However, they have the option to customize their bio specifically for Threads. Importantly, users can directly import their list of followed accounts from Instagram, streamlining the process of transitioning to the new app.

Leaving Threads isn't as straightforward. While temporary deactivation is possible via the app's settings, fully deleting a Threads profile necessitates deleting the corresponding Instagram account. Concerns have also arisen regarding data collection by Threads, akin to Instagram, which can gather user data including location, contacts, search history, browsing history, and contact information.

**Availability of Threads**

Threads is accessible in more than 100 countries and offered in over 30 languages via Apple's iOS and Android platforms.

**Is Threads the 'Twitter Killer'?**

Threads is the latest contender in the race to become the primary app for real-time, public conversations, aiming to challenge Twitter's dominance. This endeavor may have a higher chance of success than previous attempts.

Numerous Twitter users have expressed interest in an alternative ever since Elon Musk's assumption of control over the platform. Frequent technical issues and policy changes have led notable Twitter users to consider other platforms.

Meta holds a significant advantage over Twitter due to its massive user base, especially its 2 billion active Instagram users. In contrast, Twitter's active user base stands around 250 million.

Mark Zuckerberg stated his belief that there should be a public conversations app with over a billion users, acknowledging Twitter's potential but noting its failure to achieve this. Twitter's recent turmoil and Meta's existing scale and infrastructure could position Threads for success.

**Challenges and Future Developments**

Meta will need to address challenges such as preventing spam, harassment, conspiracy theories, and misinformation on Threads. The launch follows Meta's layoff of over 20,000 employees, raising concerns about user experience and well-being.

Threads, despite its early triumphs, remains relatively basic. It lacks features appreciated on Twitter, including a desktop version, direct messaging, trending topics, and post editing.

Meta's leadership has indicated plans to enhance Threads, potentially introducing hashtags, improved search capabilities, a feed focused solely on followed accounts, and the option for direct messaging.

In essence, Threads' impact is still unfolding, and its potential to reshape the landscape of real-time conversations and social media competition remains to be seen.