Coinspeaker
Meta’s Threads Already Has One-Fifth of Twitter’s Weekly Active User Base
Meta’s new microblogging Twitter rival Threads now has 20% of Twitter’s weekly active user base since launching earlier this month. The Threads user base is also 86 times more than that of another Twitter rival, Truth Social.
According to intelligence platform data.ai, Threads also hit 100 million users within the first few days of its launch. In seven days, Threads downloads grossed over 150 million worldwide, 5.5 times faster than the second-fastest app to do so – Pokemon GO. According to data.ai, the third fastest app to hit the 150-million milestone is Call of Duty: Mobile, taking 106 days.
The intelligence firm also provided more information about Threads’ user base. Data.ai says that so far, India has the largest market share of Threads downloads at 33%, followed by Brazil at 22%. Others are the United States (16%), Mexico (8%), and Japan (5%).
Threads User Base Can Expect Changes and New Features
Meta recently launched a new update for the Threads iOS app, including bug fixes, added features, and support for the new iOS 17 public beta. However, the new changes are minor features many may not quickly notice. Some of these include expanding profile pictures and double-tapping the search tab to start a search.
Instagram software engineer Cameron Roth has commented on a few changes users can expect. For instance, Roth said Threads would add alt text, a feature that adds descriptive text to photos, and a tag that lets people see whether or not they’re following a particular account. Furthermore, Roth promised a following feed and a desktop version. However, the desktop might come much later.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri also announced a few changes. In addition to the following feed, Mosseri said the Threads user base can expect an edit button and a post search. He admitted that the team was “clearly way out over our skis on this” and had been more focused on fixing bugs than prioritizing obvious missing features.
The Threads and Twitter Rivalry
Meta launched Threads right when Twitter users seemed willing to try alternatives. Users were looking to sidestep Twitter following several changes, including introducing a viewing limit. Owner Elon Musk announced earlier this month that verified accounts could only access 6,000 posts a day, with unverified users at 600 and new unverified accounts at 300, to prevent data scraping. Musk eventually announced an upward review of the limits.
Following the announcement, Jack Dorsey-backed Twitter rival Bluesky saw record traffic which began to affect its performance as more people signed up. Bluesky eventually suspended sign-ups until the next day.
Twitter has now sent a letter to Meta accusing the company of “systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property”. According to Musk’s attorney Alex Spiro, Meta intentionally employed former Twitter employees knowing they had access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other confidential information. Interestingly, Meta co-founder Mark Zuckerberg posted his first tweet in 11 years shading Twitter.
Meta’s Threads Already Has One-Fifth of Twitter’s Weekly Active User Base
