Since the American billionaire, Elon Musk, acquired Twitter last October, reports indicate that the number of Twitter users has declined during the recent period.
A new study by the Pew Research Center found that 60% of Twitter users in the US said they took a break from the platform for several weeks or more in the past year.
Project testing
While the future is still uncertain for Twitter, especially after Linda Iaccarino assumed the position of CEO of the company, Meta decided to enter the competition with a new blogging application based on the Instagram interface, according to the Arab portal for technical news.
While this new application is expected to launch this summer, according to an email shared with a select group of creators, and reviewed by TechCrunch.
People familiar with the matter stated that the company is currently testing the project with a number of celebrities and influencers, and has made it available unannounced to a selected number of creators for months. But none of them had access to the full version of the app, according to a Bloomberg report.
It will be partially integrated with Instagram
In addition, the new application will be self-contained, but it will be partially integrated with Instagram, as it will allow people to link their accounts, and all their followers will receive a notification to follow them through the new application. The new application will also be decentralized, and compatible with other applications such as: Mastodon, which was developed based on the ActivityPub protocol, which is a decentralized protocol for social networks.
In the context, Leah Habermann, who teaches social media marketing and influencers at the University of California, posted a screenshot of the new application in a tweet via Twitter, saying that it is likely that Mita will launch it in late June.
Meta’s been briefing creators on it’s upcoming text-based app — now looking at a possible late June launch.
Details are in my newsletter but I’ll list some highlights 🧵 pic.twitter.com/KYqqXjrRmD
– Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) May 19, 2023
What will the new application be like?
The new decentralized Instagram app will be codenamed P92 or Barcelona, as first reported by MoneyControl, to which Meta revealed in a statement that it is “already exploring an independent decentralized social network for sharing text updates, and believes there is an opportunity for a separate space where content creators and personalities can Public sharing timely updates about their interests.
According to Habermann, “text posts in the new application will be up to 500 words, with the ability to add links, images and videos of up to 5 minutes. Like: Twitter and competing applications, there will be a feed where you can like, reply to, or repost content.
She explained that Meta has not yet shared with the creators a specific plan to monetize the new application, which may mean not running any ads through the application at first, pointing out that in this case the focus is expected to be on the spread of the application.
Account security features
Users will also be able to log in with their Instagram username and password, sync followers, and transfer their username, bio, and even authentication tag to the new app.
The app will also contain content creation controls and security features for accounts, as replies and mentions can be easily controlled and spam blocked or reported, and accounts that have been blocked on Instagram will move over.
And based on the two leaked screenshots, the new app looks as if you’ve mixed Instagram and Twitter together.
Is the market ripe for Twitter alternatives?
Given the confusion caused to users by the recent change in Twitter policies, the market is already ripe for new Twitter alternatives, and we have seen this with platforms like Mastodon, and Bluesky launched by Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of Twitter.
However, like any company, when Meta launches new applications and experiences, it does not always achieve the expected success. In the past few years, the company has introduced products such as the tbh app for teenagers, the Cameo-like Super app that it closed last February, the Nextdoor clone app for connecting neighbors and sharing local news, which it also closed at the end of 2022, the Tuned app, and the Campus app that was for students. And many other applications that did not achieve any success.
It is possible, however, that Meta has learned from all its previous failures, and in this attempt it is very successful.
