Instagram‘s new text-based app, Threads, has taken the digital world by storm, surpassing all expectations with a staggering 100 million signups in a record-breaking five days, according to a tracker. This remarkable achievement demonstrates the app’s immense popularity and rapid adoption among users worldwide.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, expressed his awe at the overwhelming response, stating, “I’m not sure I can wrap my mind around that fact. It’s insane; I can’t make sense of it.” He acknowledged the hard work put in by the team and emphasized their commitment to making Threads an exceptional platform.
Threads garnered significant attention right from its launch on June 6, or June 5 in the Americas. Within a mere two hours, it attracted two million signups, followed by five million signups in four hours and an astonishing 10 million registered users within seven hours. The next day, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg proudly announced that over 30 million people had signed up to explore the app. Remarkably, these numbers were achieved even before the app’s launch in the EU due to privacy-related considerations.
The rapid growth of Threads is especially noteworthy when compared to other consumer products. OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot previously held the distinction of being one of the fastest-growing with 10 million daily users in 40 days and 100 million monthly users in nearly two months. However, Threads has already crossed the milestone of 100 million monthly active users within its first month of operation, setting a new benchmark.
While Threads has captured the interest of many users, some notable features are still missing. Currently, the app lacks support for ActivityPub, the protocol used for posts on decentralized networks. Meta has acknowledged this limitation and is actively working on integrating it. Additionally, the app lacks a read-only web interface, post-search functionality, direct messages, hashtags, and a “Following” feed. Moreover, due to Instagram’s content guidelines, nudity is not permitted on the platform, distinguishing it from fellow Twitter alternative Bluesky, which embraces a more permissive approach.
As Threads continues to evolve and expand, the challenge lies in maintaining user engagement and satisfaction. With its rapid growth and unique features, this text-focused social platform has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the social media landscape, capturing the attention and curiosity of millions of users worldwide.
