Is Meta’s Threads coming unravelled?

Threads’ active user numbers are in decline while feature updates are proving slow to come.

Meta Platforms’ “Twitter killer” Threads recorded astronomical sign-ups in its first week, registering more than 100 million users in its first five days. However, data from web analytics firm Similarweb shows that sustained engagement is in rapid decline.

The lack of a rich feature set might be to blame after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg rushed the app out of the starting gate, possibly to take advantage of Twitter’s unpopular decision to rate-limit users’ home feeds.

“While a strong start makes Threads a contender among possible Twitter replacements, daily active users dropped from 49 million to 23.6 million in a week,” Similarweb said in a blog post. It used Android data in its analysis, noting that iOS data is harder to track.

It’s not as if Meta isn’t aware that power users, especially, are demanding more, like access to a desktop version of the app.

The Threads team has said it is aware of the need to offer more features to keep users engaged. Earlier this month, the team posted a list of upcoming updates, including the addition of a chronological feed, which is one of the most requested features.

Read: Threads races to 100 million users, beating ChatGPT

“Down the road, we are going to make recommendations more personalised. And if you’ve been wondering about chronological feed, we’re on it,” the team said. Meta hasn’t said anything, however, about a desktop version.

Threads update

The first major iOS update for Threads was released this week for both iOS and Android. The update includes changes such as translations and the option to open Instagram follower lists.

Hashtags are another feature that was promised but not included in this week’s update. Adam Mosseri, head of Meta’s Instagram and product manager for Threads, said earlier this week that the team is “working through a long list of features” and that “it is early and we have a lot more to do”.

In the meantime, data from the Similarweb shows that even though Twitter traffic was down 5% in the first two days after the Threads launch, usage rates for the Elon Musk-owned app recovered thereafter. If Threads is to dethrone Twitter, it will have release new features faster and prioritise updates.

And a desktop version can’t come soon enough. Many professionals, journalists especially, keep Twitter running on their computers all day long. This kind of functionality is best provided by a desktop app or website.  — (c) 2023 NewsCentral Media

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