4-7-2023 (SAN FRANCISCO) According to the App Store listing, Meta’s highly anticipated Twitter competitor, Threads, is slated to launch on July 6th. This announcement comes after Threads made an appearance on Google Play, revealing screenshots and initial details about the app. While the Google Play listing did not provide a specific release date, the App Store listing now gives us the first official date for potential app downloads.
The screenshots featured on both platforms showcase the app’s functionalities, such as logging in with an Instagram handle, discovering accounts followed on Instagram within the Threads app, and utilizing an interface reminiscent of other text-based social media platforms. Additionally, during a companywide meeting, Meta executives shared that Threads will integrate with the decentralized social media protocol, ActivityPub, as reported by Alex Heath, a colleague covering the industry.
However, it’s important to note that even though the app will be available for download on July 6th, it doesn’t guarantee immediate access for posting. Meta may opt for a gradual rollout, meaning users might have to exercise patience before fully engaging with the platform and sharing content.
Considering recent developments on Twitter, it’s understandable that users are actively seeking alternative posting platforms. Twitter has implemented restrictions, preventing unregistered users from viewing tweets and imposing rate limits for logged-in users. Moreover, the sudden introduction of major changes to TweetDeck, following the app’s recent instability, has caused further uncertainty. Furthermore, TweetDeck is set to transition into a paid feature in approximately one month. While many turned to Bluesky as an alternative, the platform temporarily halted new user signups for over a day to address issues resulting from an influx of users. In contrast, the CEO of Mastodon expressed optimism amidst these challenges.
