Threads, Meta’s alternative to X (formerly Twitter), has hit 175 million monthly users a year after its unexpected launch.
“What a year,” Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday on Threads, announcing the platform’s impressive milestone.
Threads, which debuted on July 5 last year, is a spin-off of Instagram aimed at rivaling X, formerly known as Twitter. The platform launched after X, under Elon Musk’s ownership, made changes that alienated many users and advertisers.
Threads was hurriedly introduced after Musk threatened to limit the number of posts non-subscribers could view on X.
This was one of several chaotic decisions by the unpredictable Tesla founder, and Zuckerberg seized the moment.
Promoted heavily through Instagram, more than 100 million people downloaded Threads within its first week in 100 countries. The EU had to wait until December due to regulatory concerns.
The Instagram push made Threads the fastest-downloaded app ever, surpassing AI sensation ChatGPT.
Although initial enthusiasm waned, Threads has steadily grown its user base, benefiting from Instagram’s support and former X users dissatisfied with Musk’s changes.
Threads chief Adam Mosseri expressed hopes for the platform to become more independent from Instagram and plans to introduce advertising soon.
Becoming bigger than Musk’s X “will take some time, but I will consider it a failure if we don’t get there,” Mosseri told the Platformer news website.
Threads has faced criticism for Meta’s decision to downplay news and politics, aiming to create a friendlier atmosphere compared to X, at the risk of reducing engagement.
“A year after launch, we know what Threads isn’t, but we don’t know what it is,” said Emarketer principal analyst Jasmine Enberg.
“The lack of a unique identity is one of its biggest hurdles to achieving real staying power,” she added.
Now privately owned by Musk, X no longer releases industry metrics but insists its user base is growing and more engaged than other platforms.
“Threads was launched when X was struggling, but X has been surprisingly resilient,” said Debra Aho Williamson, chief analyst at Sonata Insights.
“Sports and political discussions remain vibrant on X, and with major events like the Olympics, Euro 2024, and the US presidential election this year, X will likely continue to attract users,” she added.
Source: Tech Xplore
