Vidostream | News, sport and opinion from the Vidostream's US edition

https://vidostream.com

Meta launches Twitter rival, Threads, ahead of launch date

The social media giant has released its latest project ahead of schedule and Aussies are racing to try it out.

Instagram’s new app, Threads, has gone live ahead of schedule and Australians are rushing to test it out.

The app is Meta’s answer to Twitter and comes after months of uncertainty over the social media platform’s future following Elon Musk’s takeover last year.

Users in more than 100 countries were able to download the app from about 3am (AEST) on Thursday morning, a day ahead of its scheduled launch of July 7. 
 

Meta launches new app Threads to rival Twitter. Picture: Supplied
Meta launches new app Threads to rival Twitter. Picture: Supplied
   

Users have the ability to share text posts of up to 500 characters including links, photos, carousels and videos of up to 5 minutes to a “scroll style” feed. 

It is not known why the app launched early, though the fact Meta is describing it as an “initial version” suggests there are a number of features that will be added in coming weeks.

One such detail is the opportunity to boost it‘s compatibility with other social networks.

       

“We are working toward making Threads compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet,” a post to Meta‘s website said. 

While users rushed to download and check out the highly-anticipated app, there was also a flood of people turning to Twitter to share their thoughts and gauge whether their followers would join them on the new platform.
 

The app launched a day ahead of schedule at 3am (AEST) on Thursday morning. Picture: Supplied
The app launched a day ahead of schedule at 3am (AEST) on Thursday morning. Picture: Supplied
 

“So is threads going to be a thing? Are we making moves?” one user tweeted.

Some users felt put off by the app being linked to Instagram, an app so far dominated by influencers, celebrities and often used to keep in touch with social circles.

     

“Guess we’ll see how threads pans out but doesn’t look too promising for my purposes … being synched with insta is pretty bleh,” the user said.

Users trying out the app for the first time were quick to notice that the homepage feed is automatically populated with threads from accounts the app has decided might interest them – similar to TikTok and Twitter feeds titled “For You”.

“I don’t like seeing other people’s threads. Is it possible to only see threads of people you follow?,” one person tweeted.

It is not known if users will be able to turn this feature off in the future.

Author: Editors Desk

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second