Apps
Instagram’s Threads vs. Twitter: A Clash of Text-Based Conversation Apps
The rivalry between social media giants Meta Platforms Inc.’s Instagram and Twitter has intensified with the launch of Threads, a text-based conversation app introduced by Instagram. With over 30 million users joining within its first hours, Threads aims to challenge Twitter’s dominance in the realm of concise, real-time communication. This article will explore the key features of Threads, Twitter, and Instagram, highlighting their similarities and differences.
Comparison between Threads vs Twitter
These are the following features of Threads and Twitter:
Character Limit:
Threads allow users to express themselves with up to 500 characters, surpassing Twitter’s 280-character limit for unpaid users. However, Twitter’s paid subscribers enjoy an extended character limit of 25,000, providing them with ample space for detailed communication. Instagram, on the other hand, offers a generous 2,200-character limit for posts.
Multiple Accounts:
All three platforms support multiple account usage, allowing users to switch between different profiles seamlessly. This feature enables individuals to manage various personal or professional identities efficiently across all platforms.
Verification:
As of now, Threads only grants verification to users who are already verified on Instagram. In contrast, Twitter offers verification to its users, albeit through a paid subscription model. Twitter’s verification service requires users to pay $11 per month for mobile access or $14.99 per month for mobile and desktop access.
Deleting Accounts:
Threads allows users to delete their account; however, if the associated Instagram account is deleted, the Threads account is also removed. Both Twitter and Instagram offer account deletion options, providing users with control over their online presence.
Private Account Option:
Privacy-conscious users can opt for a private account setting on all three platforms. This feature restricts the visibility of content to approved followers only, ensuring a more exclusive and secure online experience.
Usage Limits:
Threads does not impose any usage limits at present, allowing users to freely engage in conversations. However, Twitter recently implemented temporary usage limits to mitigate the spread of misinformation and spam. Instagram, for now, has no such usage restrictions in place.
Feed Options:
Threads focus on the main thread of conversations, emphasizing a streamlined approach. Twitter offers various feed options, including trending, chronological, and a feed consisting of content from people who follow you. Instagram’s feed showcases content from the accounts you follow, as well as favorites.
Editable Posts:
While Threads does not permit the editing of posts, Twitter offers this functionality exclusively to its paid subscribers. Instagram allows all users to edit their posts, ensuring flexibility in content sharing.
Direct Messages:
Threads currently lack direct messaging capabilities, which are an integral part of both Twitter and Instagram. Users on both platforms can engage in private conversations with individuals or groups.
Desktop Option:
Threads is primarily available as a mobile application, while Twitter and Instagram cater to both mobile and desktop users. This difference provides Twitter and Instagram users with the flexibility of accessing the platforms across various devices.
Ads:
Threads, at least for now, remains free from advertisements. In contrast, both Twitter and Instagram monetize their platforms through the inclusion of ads, allowing advertisers to reach their target audience effectively.
Hashtags:
Twitter and Instagram embrace the use of hashtags, enabling users to categorize their content and improve discoverability. Threads, however, currently does not support hashtags.
Android/iOS Apps:
All three platforms, Threads, Twitter, and Instagram, are available as applications for both Android and iOS users, catering to a wide range of mobile users.
NSFW Content Allowed:
None of the platforms, Threads, Twitter, or Instagram, permit the posting of explicit or NSFW (Not Safe for Work) content, prioritizing a safe and user-friendly environment.
Final Thoughts about Threads from Instagram
With the introduction of Threads, Instagram ventures into the territory of concise, real-time communication, posing a direct challenge to Twitter. While Threads exhibits certain similarities to Twitter, such as character-limited posts and text-based conversations, it also differentiates itself by incorporating features synonymous with Instagram. The battle for dominance in the social media landscape continues as these platforms evolve and seek to captivate users with unique offerings.
Nothing has released a major update to its photo app, called Nothing Gallery 2.0. The update brings many new features and improvements, especially for editing photos and videos. This is a big upgrade from the previous version, which had only basic functions and required users to use Google Photos for editing.
With the new update, users can now edit photos directly within the app. The editing tools include options to crop, rotate, flip, and stretch images. There are also 12 color adjustment tools such as exposure, contrast, saturation, warmth, tint, sharpness, white point, black point, and grain. These tools help users make their pictures look better and more professional.
In addition to photo editing, the app also supports video editing. Users can now crop their videos and adjust the audio volume, all within the Nothing Gallery app. This means users no longer need to use third-party apps for basic video edits.
The update also brings small design changes to the app. For example, text in the app is now written in proper format instead of all capital letters. The date font is now bolder, making it easier to read. Album previews have been changed to look cleaner and more organized. The layout is simpler, and the photo/video count is shown more clearly.
Another nice improvement is the addition of haptic feedback. When you slide through filters or options, the phone gives a small vibration, making the editing experience feel smoother and more responsive.
Overall, the Nothing Gallery 2.0 update is a big step forward. It gives users more control and more tools without needing to rely on Google Photos. Anyone with a Nothing Phone can enjoy these new features by updating the app from the Play Store.
Let us know what you think about the update. Did you like the new editing tools and changes in design?
Recently, pre-orders for the Apple Vision Pro were started. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst has reported sales of around 160,000 to 180,000 units of the Vision Pro. In context to the sales of Apple Vision Pro, Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters revealed in an interview that there is no need for the Netflix app in Apple’s VR headset.
In that interview, Peters also defined that the number of subscribers can’t justify the attempts to port an app for a platform. In the future, there may be a Netflix app for Apple’s VR headset, but currently, Netflix is adopting a wait-and-see approach. For now, YouTube and Spotify have no plans for dedicated apps.
As we also mentioned in the recent post of the Apple Vision Pro, you can use the apps via the browser in the Vision Pro. Apple’s own Apple TV+ streaming services are available on the Apple Vision Pro, which features “Apple Immersive Video” with Spatial Audio and 180° 3D footage in 8K resolution.
Similarly, Netflix has also a VR app which was launched in back 2015, that also offers VR Content and includes a 360° video for the Stranger Things Series, but for now, it’s not available in Apple Vision Pro. Netflix has a ton of VR movies that you can also check out.
Featured Image Courtesy: Average Design Dude (YouTube)
WhatsApp has undergone notable changes, introducing new colors and status updates for both its website and app. Whatsapp is currently in the process of rolling out a fresh update through the TestFlight beta program, named version 24.1.10.76. Within the app’s settings, the version is identified as 2.24.1.76, while the TestFlight build stands at 24.1.10(555067882).
WhatsApp beta for Android, in its 2.24.2.11 version, is rolling out a significant feature. Users can now create and share polls within their channels, fostering interactive engagement by collecting feedback, opinions, and preferences directly from their followers. The latest WhatsApp beta test for iOS, marked as version 24.1.10.76, is also geared up to incorporate this polling feature.
WhatsApp ensures that the choices made by channel followers during voting remain secure and anonymous. Currently available to beta testers, the feature to share polls in channels can be accessed by installing the latest version of WhatsApp beta for iOS and other Android phones via the TestFlight app. It will be available to everyone in the coming days.
While polls on various platforms often disappear within 24 hours, it remains to be seen whether WhatsApp will adopt a similar approach or introduce its own unique twist.