Instagram is willing to give direct messaging apps a second chance with Threads, Instagram’s latest venture that aims to connect smaller groups of people in stronger ways. This app comes after Direct’s downfall, Instagram’s previous stand-alone messaging app that was taken down only two years after its launch in 2017.
With many established messaging apps available, Threads will really have to wow its potential user base to compete with the likes of Snapchat who already offers sharing tools similar to those that Thread aims to provide. So what will make Threads different?
The app, first and foremost, aims to stand out by continuing Facebook and Instagram’s mission to promote and foster close and meaningful connections through social media, straying away from the typical broadcasting style that most social feeds share. Threads’s feed design will ultimately be similar to Instagram’s existing direct messaging tool, displaying the user’s messages as well as online status and story updates.
By using Threads, users will additionally be able to receive real time updates from their Instagram’s close friends list. One of the unique features that Threads promises is an automatic sharing option that will use speed, location, and even battery life, amongst other factors, to determine what status updates to post on your behalf. For example, Instead of posting your location or speed, Threads might post something like “on the move” when traveling between two places. By incorporating automation into the app, connecting with friends will almost be effortless. However, status updates won’t be limited to automatic posting. Users will also have the option to share things manually, such as pictures and other visual content taken through the app’s camera which will also feature Instagram’s creative tools. Threads will also have typical messaging features like text, photo, and video sharing.
It’s hard to tell if the app will be more successful than its predecessor, Direct. On one hand, Threads could potentially have a brighter future than Direct since it focuses on sharing between close friends and provides new sharing opportunities instead of simply being a stand-alone app of a preexisting feature. This could help motivate users to actually go outside of the Instagram app, something that Direct users struggled to do.
On the other hand, Threads could have a hard time taking off due to its steady competition, Snapchat. While the app might have automation on its side, the automatic updates may also raise privacy concerns amongst its users since Threads will have the capability to automatically track, collect, and post your every move. While this is an opt-in feature, users may shy away from the app considering Facebook’s history with data breaches and privacy scandals. With no launch date in sight, only time will tell how this new app will perform. For now, the app is still under development and going under testing. What’s for sure is that Instagram, and Facebook alike, refuses to give up on the potential of private messaging making it their new focus and future of the media company.
Source: www.socialmediatoday.com