Meta, which is owned by Facebook, is launching a new app to compete with Twitter on Thursday, according to sources.
The Threads app, which is available for pre-order in the Apple App Store, will be integrated with Instagram. Screengrabs depict an interface that resembles Twitter. Threads is described as a "text-based conversation app" by Meta.
The action is the latest in a rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Elon Musk, owner of Twitter. The two men agreed to engage in physical conflict one month ago, but it is not apparent how serious they were about actually fighting each other. It would appear that Mr. Musk is taking another go at Mr. Zuckerberg by responding to a tweet about Threads with the phrase "Thank goodness they're so sanely run."
In the meantime, Twitter has revealed that the user interface known as TweetDeck, which is rather popular, will be behind a paywall within the next month. This is the most recent attempt made by Mr. Musk to persuade users to sign up for the subscription service offered by Twitter known as Twitter Blue.
On Saturday, the multibillionaire placed a limit on the number of tweets that users were permitted to access, citing widespread "data scraping." It would appear from the Threads app on Meta that the service would be offered for free, and there will be no limits placed on the number of posts that users can peruse.
The App Store description for the Threads app states, "Threads is where communities gather to discuss everything from topics you care about today to tomorrow's trends." Screenshots of the application, which are almost identical to those seen on Twitter, are presented in the images.
Threads, being a Meta application, will also collect information from your mobile device, such as your location, purchases, and browsing history. In recent years, a number of new programs have developed that bear an uncanny resemblance to Twitter. Two examples of these new applications are Donald Trump's Truth Social and Mastodon.
Following Mr. Musk's decision to place usage restrictions over the weekend, analogous app Bluesky reported "record" levels of user engagement. Threads, on the other hand, may prove to be Twitter's most serious challenge to date. Mark Zuckerberg has a long history of successfully adapting ideas from competing businesses and implementing them on his own.
Many people consider Reels to be an imitation of the popular app TikTok, whereas Stories is more akin to Snapchat. Meta is equipped with the tools necessary to compete with Twitter. The Instagram platform will soon include Threads, which will connect the feature to the site's hundreds of millions of user profiles. It is not starting from the ground up like some of its potential competitors have done. In spite of the fact that Mr. Musk has garnered accolades from certain quarters for his devotion to free speech, he has managed to alienate certain users.
Mr. Zuckerberg will have the goal of luring a sufficient number of Twitter users who are unhappy in order to develop a credible alternative.
