Meta Platforms has intentions to unveil a web version of the microblogging application Threads in the early part of this week. This marks a significant addition to its rival to Elon Musk’s X platform.
The introduction of the desktop version will address one of the most prominent items on the long list of desired features by Threads users. The text-centered social media app seemed poised for a successful start when Meta initially released a basic version in early July. However, its usage has seen a sharp decline in recent weeks.
Although users have had some limited access to specific Threads posts on the web, the app has been primarily tailored for mobile phones.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced on Friday via his Instagram profile that the web version of Threads is nearing launch and is already undergoing internal testing at Meta. Insiders familiar with Meta’s strategies have indicated that the launch is scheduled for the early part of this week, but these plans are still subject to finalization and potential changes.
“It’s a bit buggy at the moment, so it’s not something you should get just yet,” Mosseri commented. “Once it’s ready, we’ll make it available to everyone else.”
Meta hastened the launch of Threads to tap into the growing demand for an alternative to X, formerly known as Twitter. Threads swiftly emerged as the swiftest application to attain 100 million downloads, accomplishing this remarkable feat within a mere span of five days.
Despite its initial triumph, the utilization of the application experienced a rapid downturn due to the absence of numerous notable functionalities, including a comprehensive web-based version of the service.
In recent times, Meta has introduced a selection of fresh attributes, such as the capability to receive notifications for posts from specific accounts and the choice to peruse posts in a sequential stream.
On Thursday, Threads began displaying labels for media outlets controlled by state entities. This change occurred roughly three weeks after The Wall Street Journal revealed that state-affiliated media accounts had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the platform. These accounts were found to be disseminating propaganda, including a fabricated video purportedly showing President Biden browsing books on dementia in a store.
According to recent data from SimilarWeb, a digital data and analytics firm, the time spent on the Threads app has decreased by approximately 85% since its launch. At its peak, Threads boasted nearly 50 million daily active users worldwide a few days after its release. This number has since dwindled to less than 10 million, as of Sunday, according to the firm’s findings.
X Corp., the rebranded version of Twitter, currently attracts around 363.7 million monthly active users, as reported by Insider Intelligence. In July 2022, during its final quarter as a public company, X reported having 237.8 million daily active users.
The introduction of a web-based Threads version would be a strategic move for Meta in terms of promoting the service across the internet, as stated by several social media experts.
In addition to the web version of Threads, Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive of Meta, revealed earlier this month on Threads that the company plans to launch an improved search function for the microblogging app “within the next few weeks.” Presently, Threads users can search for other profiles, but they are unable to search for posts using keywords.
Mosseri reiterated this point on Friday, emphasizing that Instagram’s current focus is not on developing a hashtag feature for Threads. Instead, they are concentrating their efforts on enhancing the search functionality.
“We’re placing greater emphasis on search and the web, as I believe these can effectively address many of the needs currently met by hashtags,” Mosseri explained.
