Instagram launches new messaging app - Threads

To help you stay connected to your Close Friends, Instagram has launched a new camera-first messaging app called Threads.

The reports of the app being developed first surfaced in August 2019. According to Instagram's announcement last night, Threads has begun rolling out globally. Although, the app is nowhere to be seen in the Android Play Store or iOS App Store in India.

The new messaging app is an extension to the feature - Close Friends and helps you do more than just share Stories.

Threads is a dedicated private space for sharing photos, videos, messages, Stories, and more with your Instagram close friends list and communicate how you're feeling. You can also customize your experience around the people who matter most. Some might peg on the line of Snapchat's picture chatting services.

Messaging

You can use Threads to message those people on your Instagram close friends list and you’ll have an inbox and notifications for them. You can also make one from Threads when you download the app if you don't have a list set up yet.

Sharing

Threads opens directly to the camera and allows you to add shortcuts, and allows you to share what you’re doing through photos or videos with your Close Friends in two taps.

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Status

With Status, you can share what you're doing with your Close Friends without having a conversation with them when you don't have time. Only your Close Friends will see your status, and it’s completely opt-in. You can control whether you share your status, and with whom.

You can choose from a suggested status (? Studying), create your own (? Procrastinating), or turn on Auto Status (? On the move), which automatically shares bits of context on where you are without giving away your coordinates.

Messages from your Close Friends would appear on Threads as well as Direct.

Instagram before launching Threads and Close Friends didn't have an image of 'building or maintaining close connections on the platform', the new pursuit might change that. Scrapping Direct and building Threads also appears to be a move to strike down Snapchat.