Threads by Instagram, the Meta-owned social networking app that has become a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter), made a surprising return in December 2023. Ranking fourth in downloads on the iOS App Store and eighth on the Google Play store — averaging 28 million downloads across both platforms — this surge in interest suggests a potential turning point for the app following its lukewarm July 2023 launch.As reported by PC Mag, Threads hadn’t cracked the top ten download lists on Appfigures since August, and some were beginning to question the app’s long-term viability. However, users appear to be responding well to the newly introduced and improved sharing and discovery options, as well as other new features. In addition, Instagram began advertising Threads content on its own network, potentially encouraging the onboarding of more members.
What’s going on with X/Twitter?
This renewed interest contrasts with how Elon Musk’s X (the app formerly known as Twitter) has performed. Although there are approximately 540 million users on X as of July 2023, growth has slowed under Musk’s leadership. The app data company 42Matters noticed a decrease in X downloads between November 2022 and October 2023, which could imply a drop in user interest. Furthermore, X’s download ranking in December was only 36th, but to be fair, the app has been around since 2006 and most users might already have the app downloaded already.
