Facebook has launched its new app Threads from Instagram, a messaging app that is similar to the Messenger app which is linked to Facebook. They are calling it a ‘camera-first’ messaging app that is designed for sharing photos, videos and messages with your close friends.
Instagram ceased work on Direct, a messaging app they had been working on since 2017 because beta testers were frustrated having to switch between apps to send a message. The new app is built around the ‘close friends’ function Instagram recently introduced. This might be Instagram’s way of moving in on some of Snapchat users as Snapchat messaging app is built around messaging close friends.
Signing up and using the new Instagram app is simple if you already have an Instagram account. Users can edit their ‘close friends’ they would like to have on the app and message them as they would in any other app. Other features include being able to create a status which allows your ‘close friends’ to see what you’re up to without having to ask you, users can even choose to enable ‘Auto Status’ which will let your friends know if you are on the move and where you are.
Zuckerberg said in March that he sees private messaging as the future of the company which is likely the reason behind the move. Instagram wrote on their blog “We hope that Threads can bring you a little closer to the people you care about”.
Go and give it a try, it is available now on the New Zealand App Store for IOS and Android.
