Instagram’s Twitter rival app ‘Threads’ launch expected on July 6th, listed on App Store

Instagram Threads listed on App Store

Instagram Threads is listed on the App Store but you can’t download it just yet. The app also appeared briefly on the Google Play Store last weekend, The Verge reported. On the App Store though, the app is listed as “Coming Soon” and “Expected 6 July 2023”, which indicates that the launch might actually happen on July 6th. There’s still no official confirmation from Instagram though. 

We already have an idea on how the Twitter-rival is going to work through official images, and now the App Store listing. So here’s how Instagram’s new competitor to Twitter is going to work. 

How Instagram’s Twitter-rival app works

Instagram explains Threads as its ‘text-based conversation app’. It’s essentially the Twitter version of Instagram where you post text updates (tweets) that will appear in a centralised feed. Below each post there are buttons to heart (like) it, comment, reshare or share it to someone or some other platform.

The UI looks and works very much like Twitter but it still carries elements from Instagram. So you have a menu tab below with individual tabs for the home page, search, new post, likes and profile. You can also import all your Instagram followers, following list and account settings to Threads. Instagram is also going to let you keep your username. 

Instagram to compete with Twitter

The launch of Instagram Threads couldn’t come at a better time. The Elon Musk controlled-Twitter is trying to limit features that are available for free to users. It recently limited the number of tweets you can read in one day. For verified accounts its 6,000 posts per day, and 600 for unverified accounts. Twitter then increased it and made it 10,000 and 1,000 for verified and unverified, respectively. 

Twitter is also reportedly planning to limit the number of DMs an unverified user can send in a day. The limitations are said to be part of Twitter’s plan to declutter and reduce spam content on the platform. But with most key features becoming restrictive for unverified users, it might not sit well with the current userbase. 

Instagram Threads is yet to launch but it’s interesting to see if it will be able to actually compete with Twitter. The Meta-owned company isn’t holding back either on admitting that Threads will compete with Twitter and even calling it “our response to Twitter”.