Threads, the latest app from Meta, has taken the digital world by storm since its launch on Thursday, attracting a staggering 50 million users in just over 24 hours. Branded as the “Twitter Killer,” this text-based microblogging service is intricately connected to Meta’s popular photo and video sharing platform, Instagram. While Threads’ rapid rise is remarkable, it’s important to note that Meta has capitalized on Instagram’s vast user base of over 2.35 billion active users to drive sign-ups for the new app. In response, rival social media giant Twitter is already feeling the pressure, with its recently appointed CEO issuing a statement and reportedly considering legal action against Meta.
According to internal data from Meta, Threads surpassed 48 million user registrations within a day of its launch, as confirmed by The Verge’s Alex Heath in a Threads post. User Joe Scannell (@joe_scannel) shared a screenshot showing the sign-up number surpassing the 50 million mark. As part of Meta’s strategy to encourage sign-ups and usage, each user’s Instagram profile displays a unique serial number indicating their registration date for the Threads service.
While Threads was simultaneously launched on both the App Store and Google Play Store, it’s important to note that it is yet to be available in all countries. Meta has not rolled out the service to users in the EU, likely due to the stringent privacy regulations governing the region.
Threads quickly climbed to the top of the charts in multiple countries’ app stores. It currently holds the top spot in India among free iOS apps, followed by WhatsApp and Instagram. The app also reached the fifth position in China’s App Store, despite Meta’s other apps being blocked in the country. Threads are expected to face similar restrictions.
As of Thursday, Threads had already got over 95 million posts and garnered an impressive 190 million likes on the platform, as reported by The Verge. Elon Musk’s Twitter appears to be feeling the impact of Threads’ popularity, with reports indicating that the platform has threatened Meta with legal action. Twitter’s lawyer, Alex Spirt, reportedly sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressing the company’s concerns.
While Threads’ user base is expected to continue growing in the coming days, the app currently lacks certain features that users have grown accustomed to on other platforms. Notably, users are unable to view a chronological feed or send private messages (DMs) within the app. Furthermore, Meta’s support documents reveal that deleting a Threads account requires deleting the associated Instagram account, highlighting the close integration between the two platforms.
‘Threads’ remarkable success in amassing 50 million users within such a short period has cemented its position as a formidable competitor in the microblogging space. While it still has some ground to cover in terms of feature parity with other platforms, Threads’ rapid growth and the threat it poses to Twitter underscore the significance of Meta’s latest venture in the social media landscape.