Threads for dummies: 101 on Instagram's upcoming Twitter rival platform

Instagram's highly anticipated app, Threads, that is set to rival Twitter is expected to launch this week and it could not be coming at a better time. 

Just this week, Twitter's CEO revealed that the platform put at temporary limit on the number of tweets users can see per day to address the "extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation," according to Musk in a tweet. He added that he also set a view limit because "we are all Twitter addicts and need to go outside".

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As a result, verified accounts world be limited to reading 6,000 posts a day while unverified accounts would only get 600 posts and new unverified accounts would get 300. These amounts were expected to increase to 8,000, 800 and 400 respectively, according to Musk in an updated tweet. 

The move caused significant upset among users who responded to Musk's tweets saying that Twitter was now dead, and that Musk was forcing users to pay for Twitter Blue, a paid monthly subscription service on the platform that allows users to subscribe, and thus access, a more premium version of Twitter.

With all the fuss about Twitter, it's safe to say that many will likely begin looking for alternatives to the social media platform very soon. Already, there are a number in the works such as Bluesky, a Twitter alternative backed by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey that made its way to the app store earlier this year.

Bluesky was first announced in 2019 by Twitter as a project to create an open and decentralised standard for social media, according to a statement on the app's blog page. 

This week though, we are set to see a brand-new Twitter-like app launch from none other than Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, two of the most popular social media platforms we have currently. Ahead of its launch, here's everything you need to know about Threads. 

What is Threads?

Threads is an app that will largely function similarly to Twitter. It will allow users to post text-based posts that other users can then comment on, share and like. 

In its App store description, Threads is touted as a place where communities can come together to discuss everything from "topics you care about today" to "what'll be trending tomorrow".

"Whatever it is you're interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and other who love the same things-or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world," it said. 

What will it look like?

Images of the app's interface on the App store reveal a set up that is largely similar to Twitter as well in terms of design. However, it is still unclear how Meta will differentiate Threads from Twitter. 

Screenshots of the app on the App store listing also reveal that users will also be able to seamlessly follow the people that follow on Instagram on Threads despite the fact that it will be its own stand-alone app. 

When is it coming out?

The app is currently on the App store for pre-order and it is set to go public on 6 July. It will be available on  iPhones and iPod Touches that run iOS 14 or later and will not be available on iPads just like Instagram.

For Android users, the app did appear on the Google Play store but the listing has since been taken down. It is still unclear if it will be available to non-Apple users. 

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