Adam Mosseri Announces DM Feature for Instagram’s ‘Threads’ App
In order to improve its latest microblogging platform and better compete with Elon Musk’s X, the former Twitter, the new Meta platform Threads is planning to introduce direct messaging (DMs) functionality. This will enable users to have more interactive conversations with their friends and followers. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, confirmed this update in a recent statement to the Washington Post. Since Facebook and Instagram, which are also part of Meta, already have DM options, integrating this feature into Threads should be a seamless process, giving it a stronger position to compete with X.
According to a Washington Post report, Meta initially considered incorporating Twitter-like features into its existing Instagram platform. However, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, envisioned a larger scale, which led to the creation of Threads, an independent app.
The journey from concept to reality was quick, as Threads was unveiled in a matter of months. The release was met with overwhelming enthusiasm, garnering over 100 million sign-ups in the first five days. Despite the impressive start, the platform’s user base decreased significantly later. As a result, the company is working to stabilize Threads in order to maintain and grow its user community.
Continuing its development, Threads has received regular updates. Meta recently introduced a text translation feature, a new tracking tab, and several other improvements. In the future, Threads will receive further improvements, including the ability to chat with other Threads users directly on the platform, eliminating the need to go elsewhere to communicate.
User rejection in threads
On the other hand, a recent Reuters report revealed that more than half of the users who initially signed up for Threads have stopped using the app since its launch. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared this information at an internal town hall meeting. While he acknowledged that the app’s retention rate was better than expected, Zuckerberg acknowledged that it wasn’t without its flaws.
Zuckerberg expressed his desire to increase user engagement, stating that ideally it would be great if a significant portion of the more than 100 million sign-ups remained active.
Nevertheless, Zuckerberg considered the decline in users to be a normal phenomenon. He remained optimistic about the app’s future, believing that as Meta continues to roll out additional features, retention rates will improve over time.
In response to declining users, Meta is actively researching methods to improve retention. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox mentioned the opportunity to include retention features such as allowing Instagram users to seamlessly access important Threads content.
In short, despite the decline in Threads’ user numbers, Meta’s management remains hopeful and committed to improving the app’s appeal and engagement through strategic improvements.
