With Elon renaming Twitter to X and slowly killing the bird and threads having been launched a few weeks ago, we thought it was about time to have a quick wrap-up of what we have seen and what might happen next.
1 . Introducing Threads: The New Kid on the Block
Instagram has released a new app called Threads, and it’s only been a few days – four to be exact to breach the magical number of 100 million users.
Threads is a separate space from Instagram where you can share text updates, photos, and videos with your closest friends. It’s designed to be a more intimate and personal way to connect, and it’s already being hailed as a „game-changer“ by many users.
One of the things that makes Threads so special is its focus on privacy. By default, your Threads profile is private, so only people you approve can follow you. You can also choose to share your Threads posts with your Instagram followers, but you don’t have to. This gives you a lot of control over who sees your content, and it helps to create a more intimate and safe space for sharing.
This is incredible for a Meta App. Especially after all the data breaches that happened in Mark’s companies in the past.
Another thing that sets Threads apart is its focus on creativity. Threads posts can be up to 500 characters long, and they can include links, photos, and videos. This gives you a lot of flexibility in how you express yourself, and it makes Threads a great platform for sharing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
Of course, no new social media app would be complete without a few features that make it stand out from the crowd. Threads has a few unique features that make it a truly innovative app. For example, Threads users can create „Moments,“ which are collections of posts that can be shared with a group of friends. This is a great way to share photos and videos from a special event or day, and it’s a feature that no other social media app has.
And that’s not all. Threads is more than just a way to share text updates and photos with your closest friends. It’s also a potential leap forward in social media networking.
Threads is compatible with open, interoperable social networks, meaning that users on compatible apps can interact with Threads‘ users without needing an account on Threads, and vice versa. This could open doors to diverse and interconnected networks, fostering a whole new level of social media integration.
For example, if you’re a Threads user who also uses the Mastodon social network, you’ll be able to follow and interact with other Mastodon users who are also on Threads. This means that you could connect with people who share your interests, even if they don’t use the same social media apps as you.
This kind of cross-platform interaction is made possible by the ActivityPub protocol, which is an open standard for social networking. ActivityPub is designed to allow different social media apps to communicate with each other, regardless of their underlying technology.
Instagram’s decision to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub is a significant step forward for social media interoperability. It’s a move that could help to break down the silos that currently exist between different social media platforms, and it could make it easier for people to connect with each other across different networks.
Let’s wrap this up again. Here are some of the benefits of using Threads:
- Privacy: Threads is a private space where you can share your thoughts and experiences with your closest friends.
- Creativity: Threads gives you a lot of flexibility in how you express yourself. You can share text updates, photos, videos, and links.
- Innovation: Threads has a few unique features that make it a truly innovative app. For example, you can create „Moments,“ which are collections of posts that can be shared with a group of friends.
- Threads is available for iOS and Android in already quite some countries.
- You can use Threads to follow people you already follow on Instagram, or you can find new people to follow.
- Threads posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes in length.
- You can choose to make your profile private, so only people you approve can follow you.
- Threads is a safe space. We have a team of experts who review all content for safety and security.
If you’re looking for a more intimate and personal way to connect with your friends, then Threads is definitely worth checking out.
2. Killing the bird
But the success of Threads is not just due to the innovation it brings to the market it’s also thanks to Musk and Zuckerberg working on the same thing. Killing Twitter.
Yesterday we saw the renaming of Twitter to X. This is kind of funny, as the mercurial tech billionaire known for his audacious visions and unconventional decisions, has recently stirred up controversy with his latest move.
His action to rename Twitter to ‚Twitter X‘ and ultimately to X has been met with mixed reactions. Some see it as a bold, innovative idea, while others view it as a misguided attempt to impose unnecessary changes on a well-established platform. This isn’t the first time Musk has added the ‚X‘ suffix to a company’s name. He previously co-founded PayPal, which was initially known as ‚X.com‘ before it was renamed.
The idea behind the ‚X‘ suffix is to signify a radical departure from the norm, a leap into the future. In Musk’s words, X is going to become the everything, the all-in-one app. However, critics argue that such a change could confuse users and dilute the brand’s identity. They point out that Twitter’s strength lies in its simplicity and familiarity, and that any drastic changes could potentially alienate its user base.
An article by t3n Magazin even gave us some insights into past research that showed that consumers actually connect the X with – well HashtagPorn.
In the context of all-in-one apps, it’s worth mentioning WeChat. WeChat is a multi-purpose messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. It’s often referred to as China’s „app for everything“ due to its wide range of functions and platforms. WeChat’s success lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate various services, from messaging and social networking to shopping and payments, all within a single app. This level of integration is something that many tech companies, including Twitter, might aspire to achieve but nobody really achieved it – yet. We don’t see it as impossible, but consumers might well argue that putting all your eggs in one basket is a big mistake. Especially if this basket is owned by someone like Elon Musk.
We still have to see the outcome of Twitter’s rebranding to X. But throwing away a global brand name with a rather well-established track record is at best naive and at worst a giant destruction of value.
3. The way forward.
Threads, the audacious newcomer, has swiftly gained momentum, leaving its rivals in the dust. It has soared to heights previously unseen, with data.ai revealing that Threads already boasts a staggering one-fifth of Twitter’s global weekly active user base and a jaw-dropping 86 times the weekly active users of its largest U.S. rival, HashtagTruthSocial. Despite experiencing a slight dip in early usage, Threads has rebounded triumphantly, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Impressively, Threads has reached over 150 million downloads in record time, outpacing even the sensational launch of Niantic’s Pokémon GO, which held the app launch title since 2016. Moreover, Threads has attracted an astounding 93 million active users globally within its first partial week of availability, an achievement unmatched by most in the industry.
But what sets Threads apart? Data.ai’s insights shed light on its global appeal, revealing that India has become the powerhouse of Threads‘ downloads, accounting for a remarkable 33% of the app’s global adoption. Brazil follows closely at 22%, with the U.S. trailing behind at 16%. Mexico and Japan trail further, boasting 8% and 5% respectively.
The only cloud on Threads‘ horizon is its unavailability in the EU due to privacy concerns and data collection practices. Even with the odds stacked against them, Threads continues to captivate audiences worldwide, solidifying its position as a force to be reckoned with.
As Threads ascends, Twitter faces a pivotal moment. Shedding its iconic branding in favor of the enigmatic „X,“ the platform, now dubbed Twitter/X, seeks to reinvent itself under Elon Musk’s stewardship. But with this transformation comes an exodus of disillusioned users to alternative platforms, with HashtagMastodon emerging as a strong contender. Mastodon’s monthly active users have steadily climbed to a formidable 2.1 million, nearing their peak of 2.5 million during Twitter’s tumultuous acquisition.
Mastodon’s fate has often been intertwined with Twitter’s missteps, and it appears that history is repeating itself. Musk’s recent rate-limiting decision, curbing users‘ access to content, has further fueled Mastodon’s resurgence. Perhaps users seek refuge in the decentralized social networking protocol, ActivityPub, which powers Mastodon and other apps, offering an escape from centralized control and algorithmic manipulation.
Moreover, Mastodon’s appeal is bolstered by a parade of third-party apps that simplify and enrich the user experience. From Tapbots‘ Ivory to Woolly and Mammoth, developed by former Twitter app creators, the Mastodon ecosystem thrives with diverse options. Ice Cubes and Radiant are making their mark too, while the official Mastodon app receives a makeover, addressing user pain points and providing greater customization. This rejuvenation has sparked a spike in posting activity and engagement, a testament to the platform’s renewed appeal.
The battle for social media supremacy has never been more intense, and the rise of Threads and Mastodon epitomizes the evolution of the digital landscape. As these contenders via for users‘ attention, Twitter/X must grapple with its new identity and seek to reclaim lost ground. Meanwhile, both Mastodon and Threads ride the waves of Twitter’s missteps and embrace the power of decentralized social networking.
In this era of rapid change and innovation, the ultimate victor remains uncertain. Will Threads‘ meteoric rise catapult it to the throne of social media dominance, or will Mastodon’s grassroots appeal and commitment to decentralization prevail? And nobody can say what Hashtagtiktokmight come up with. Only time will tell, and the world watches with bated breath as the battle of social media titans unfolds before our very eyes.
To finish today, we found a nice Tweet that probably captured the current mood of either Mark of Elon:
Bernd