For the second time this year, a new benchmark has been set for the user engagement rate of a consumer application.
OpenAI’s extensive language application, ChatGPT, notably eclipsed the 100 million user mark in January after only two months in service, thus establishing it as the fastest-growing consumer application ever.
However, this record has been spectacularly shattered in just a few days by Threads, the latest social media offering from Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:FB).
Data provided by Quiver Quantitative, which monitors Threads account figures displayed on Instagram pages, shows that Threads amassed 10 million users on its first day alone, with this figure crossing the 100 million mark today.
Since its launch on Wednesday, July 10, Threads has witnessed an extraordinary surge in user base, as people are drawn to what is touted as a ‘friendlier’ alternative to Elon Musk’s Twitter app.
Competition has since sparked between Meta’s head, Mark Zuckerberg, and Musk, with Musk initiating legal proceedings against Zuckerberg on the basis of intellectual property infringement.
Interestingly, Threads seems to have disappeared from Twitter’s trending page, a development Zuckerberg labelled as “concerning”, albeit his use of a laughing emoji could indicate a degree of indifference. In a sharp retort, Musk resorted to name-calling on Twitter, dubbing his adversary a ‘cuck’, a term used derogatorily for a submissive or weak man.
The swift adoption of Threads can largely be attributed to its smooth interconnection with its sibling app, Instagram, which boasts over two billion users worldwide.
Although Threads has gained massive popularity in mere days, it remains a question whether it will be able to exceed Twitter’s user base of over 350 million.
