Can Threads Catch Up to X With New Features?

Meta's Threads was rumored to be integrating a direct message (DM) feature, as pointed out by one of the platform's users who revealed an option to enable DM notifications through iOS settings. 

 

Post by @datadrivenmd

View on Threads

However, Instagram and Threads CEO Adam Mosseri was quick to shut the speculation down, explaining that the reason users might see this is due to Threads being built on top of Instagram.

Though the two are intertwined, a new update announced by Mosseri on the platform will now allow users to delete their Threads account without deleting their Instagram account, and vice versa.

Users can simply head to their Threads profile, Settings, and then Account, where they will find the options to delete or deactivate their profile.

The new feature follows months of gathered feedback from Threads users expressing interest in the option to delete their account without affecting their Instagram. 

Mosseri followed up with the rollout of a new feature that increases the visibility of Threads posts on Instagram and Facebook.

"We heard feedback that you want more control over the experience, so we’re rolling out a way to opt out of being featured outside Threads in Settings > Privacy," Mosseri wrote in a post. 

Can Threads Catch Up To X? 

Threads became the most rapidly downloaded app in history upon launch with over 100 million signups, surpassing the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and other tech giants.

However, its rapid expansion was followed by an even more steep decline. 

From 44 million users in its first few days, the app is now projected to end the year with an estimated 23 million active monthly users, based on Insider Intelligence's predictions. 

This highlights the wide gap between the platform and its closest competitor, Elon Musk's X, which is forecasted to end the year with 56.1 million monthly active users. 

While Threads has introduced several new features and improvements to its user experience since its launch, it has a lot more to do if it wants to surpass rivals and reach the 100 million monthly active user mark that TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have consistently hit.