In the ongoing battle for dominance in the alternative Twitter landscape, Instagram’s Threads has emerged as the current frontrunner, surpassing X (formerly Twitter) in daily downloads globally. While app downloads may not perfectly reflect usage, they serve as indicators of market trends, and Threads is currently leading the charge.
Meta’s take on the Twitter-esque platform has witnessed a significant surge in daily downloads, with triple the figures of X on iOS globally and more than double on Google Play. This shift marks a notable change from previous months, where Threads and X were neck-and-neck in terms of downloads, particularly on iOS.
The momentum for Threads began building towards the end of the previous year, with daily installs exceeding half a million across both Google Play and iOS. Despite a slight dip in January, Threads consistently outpaces X in daily downloads on both platforms, indicating a widening gap between the two rivals.
On February 25, 2024, Threads recorded 486,803 installs on Google Play and 342,228 on iOS, compared to X’s 225,408 and 112,625 downloads, respectively. Similarly, on February 22, Threads boasted 382,999 iOS installs versus X’s 113,649, showcasing its dominance in the market.
Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced Threads’ impressive milestone of 130 million monthly active users during the company’s fourth quarter, with Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, highlighting its success in specific markets like Japan.
Despite X’s claim of 500 million monthly active users, concerns arise regarding the authenticity of these figures, particularly with reports of verified bot problems. This issue, coupled with X’s struggles post-rebranding from Twitter, has impacted its download numbers and revenue.
In contrast, decentralized alternatives like Mastodon and Bluesky have failed to gain significant traction compared to Threads and X. Mastodon’s official mobile app and Bluesky, though showing initial promise, have not posed a substantial challenge to the established players in the alt-Twitter space.
While Bluesky recently opened its doors to the public and introduced federation, allowing users to run their own servers, its download numbers remain modest compared to Threads and X. However, the future trajectory of Bluesky as a decentralized alternative remains uncertain, with potential for growth over time.
In summary, Instagram’s Threads has emerged as the leading contender in the alt-Twitter wars, signaling a shift in the microblogging landscape and Meta’s increasing influence over the digital news ecosystem.