In a startling revelation, Meta’s Threads app, despite a promising start, lost more than half of its users within weeks of its launch. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in a recent town hall meeting, confirmed the decline, calling it ‘normal’ as the company continues to add new features to the app. Threads, a standalone messaging app designed to promote more intimate sharing among Instagram users, initially attracted over 100 million users in the first few weeks following its launch. However, daily active users quickly dropped to 49 million and then further plummeted to 23.6 million.
The reasons behind this rapid exodus remain unclear. Some attribute it to growing concerns over privacy and data security, while others point to the rise of new, more engaging messaging platforms. Regardless of the cause, the impact on Threads’ reputation and Meta’s overall standing is undeniable. Zuckerberg, however, remains optimistic. He views the dropoff as a ‘normal’ part of the app’s growth process, especially as the company continues to add more features to the app, including a desktop version and a search option.
Meta’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, hinted at plans to retain users on Threads. He mentioned potential changes to make important threads available to Instagram users, indicating a strategic shift to leverage Instagram’s popularity to boost Threads’ user engagement. Despite the initial setback, Meta remains committed to Threads. The company’s leadership believes that with strategic changes and feature additions, Threads can regain its lost user base and establish itself as a dominant player in the messaging app landscape.
