Meta, Instagram's parent company, is developing a new text-based social app that is independent but partially integrated with Instagram, planning to launch it this summer. This decentralized new product will allow users to retain Instagram account verification and usernames, and followers will also be notified to follow the new product.
Although Meta has not commented publicly, according to multiple sources, the new app interface is very similar to Twitter but more decentralized. Users can post posts up to 500 characters long, upload photos, links and 5-minute videos. Like Twitter, the new product will also have a timeline feature where you can interact and forward content. Meta hopes to attract well-known figures such as athletes, actors, producers, showrunners and comedians to use the new product first.
Meta believes that Mastodon, Bluesky and other apps have taken the lead in building the next Twitter, but Meta has the advantage of accessing billions of users through family apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger. Nevertheless, Meta has discontinued several products in recent years, suggesting that its newly launched apps and experiences are not always successful.
Whether the new app will pose a real threat to Twitter remains to be seen. On the one hand, Meta's huge user base may drive the development of new products, but on the other hand, users may feel tired of migrating accounts between multiple platforms. Although there is a market demand for Twitter alternatives, whether the new product will ultimately attract users to leave Twitter is unknown.
In summary, Meta's move shows that it hopes to further penetrate the social networking field and compete with competitors like Twitter. However, whether the new product will become the next Twitter or another failed attempt by Meta will take time to determine. The biggest challenge facing the new product is how to meet user needs while avoiding aesthetic fatigue, which will also determine whether it can succeed in this field.