Instagram building new 'Threads' app to take on Snapchat
What's the story
Once again, Facebook is mimicking Snapchat to improve its own product. A report from The Verge has revealed that the social media giant is testing a standalone messaging app called 'Threads' for Instagram. The app would serve as a companion for the photo-sharing service and bring many of Snapchat's popular messaging features on to the table. Here's all you need to know about it.
Details
Threads will be for intimate sharing with 'close friends'
Unlike Instagram Direct, the messaging app that the Facebook-owned company shelved in early beta, Threads will be a platform for more intimate sharing with the 'close friends' list of the service. It would let you share things like location, speed, and battery life with these people as well as provide the full set of Instagram's creative tools for instant text, photo/video messaging.
Features
Plus, it will let you send automatic updates to friends
Along with creative messaging features, Threads will also provide the ability to send automatic updates to your entire close friend's list, much like Snapchat. So, if you choose to opt-in for the feature, it will automatically update your status on the basis of your location, movement, and battery life (collected from phone sensors), and share that information for real-time viewing with friends.
Information
Alternatively, you could update status manually
Notably, if you don't want to share statuses automatically, there will be the option to update it manually for friends. The status you put will appear on the main feed of the app, along with messages. You could also see your friends' story from Threads.
Launch
No word on Thread's launch yet
Thread is being developed and tested internally at Facebook, and there is no word on when or if it might launch. Mark Zuckerberg's goal to build Facebook around private messaging indicates the app might see the light of the day, but it is too early to be sure about Threads. The app could come sometime this year or never show up, like Instagram Direct.