In a strategic move that highlights the ongoing battle for supremacy in the digital sphere, Instagram, a subsidiary of Meta Platforms, is reportedly developing a new text-based application.
This innovation appears to directly challenge Twitter’s dominion, potentially ushering in a new era of social media interaction.
According to Lia Haberman, a Social and Influencer Marketing lecturer at UCLAx, this unnamed application, currently operating under the codenames P92 or Barcelona, is anticipated to launch towards the end of June.
This information emerged from briefings conducted by Meta with its creators, shedding light on an app that was first reported by MoneyControl.
A new rival in the digital arena
Delving into the app’s features, Haberman’s newsletter elucidated several key points. The application, while built upon Instagram’s framework, has a decentralized architecture.
It aims to be compatible with other applications, including Mastodon, thereby enabling cross-platform interactions. Users across these platforms can locate, follow, and interact with profiles and content within the new app.
The upcoming application will showcase a centralized feed highlighting follower activity and suggested content. Users can share text updates limited to 500 characters, a length shorter than conventional Instagram captions or extended tweets.
It will also support the sharing of images and videos.
Ensuring user safety and control
Instagram’s imminent text-based application also places a strong emphasis on user control and safety. For instance, any blocks set up by users on Instagram will be imported into the new application, ensuring consistency in user protection across both platforms.
Similarly, users can transfer their hidden words from Instagram, indicating that the app is serious about ensuring a safe and secure environment for its users.
In terms of appearance, according to Haberman’s sources, Meta’s new application bears a striking resemblance to Twitter, raising questions about whether it could supersede Twitter’s long-standing dominance in text-based social media sharing.
Although it’s hard to anticipate audience reactions, this development could potentially provide a viable alternative to Twitter, especially considering the surge in Twitter screenshots shared on Instagram feeds.
Meta, remaining tight-lipped about the details, offered a brief statement to MoneyControl. It affirmed:
We’re exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates. We believe there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests.
According to further reports from Haberman, users can expect the app to adhere to the same community guidelines as Instagram. Furthermore, it will also allow logins via Instagram credentials, enhancing user convenience.
The application will also offer vital safety features from the onset, including two-factor authentication and spam reporting. Haberman’s sources suggest that alongside text posts, users will be able to upload photos, links, and videos up to five minutes long.
This revelation, echoing information shared earlier by social media consultant Matt Navarra, underlines the potential shift that Instagram’s innovative new app could bring to the social media landscape.
**You can read Lia Haberman’s post here.
