Whereas Meta’s Twitter-like Threads app nonetheless has an extended solution to go to meet up with different platforms within the house, it’s seemingly nonetheless including customers at a reasonably sturdy fee, based mostly on the newest knowledge from Appfigures, which tracks total obtain exercise tendencies.

And whereas “downloads” and “energetic customers” are wholly totally different measurements, the truth that Threads remains to be driving curiosity is a optimistic, which is able to no less than see extra folks making an attempt out the brand new app.

As reported by TechCrunch:

“Threads noticed 12 million new downloads in December 2023, incomes it a No. 4 spot within the High Charts by downloads on Apple’s App Retailer. It additionally noticed 16 million downloads on Google Play, which gave it the No. 8 spot. On each shops mixed, it was the No. 6 app by the use of new installs.”

These outcomes usually are not overly shocking, provided that Threads was launched to European customers on December 14th. Primarily based on Instagram adoption figures versus Threads, my assumption was that the Threads EU launch would doubtless drive round 25 million extra downloads total, which is considerably according to these stats.

As such, these figures usually are not essentially indicative of normal natural development, as there was a major occasion inside this era. However nonetheless, it does present that Threads remains to be rising, and that it nonetheless maintains its alternative to problem X.

Although there have been some unfavourable indicators as effectively.

Threads downloads had slowed considerably earlier than December, whereas some distinguished former Twitter customers are both sticking with X, and even reverting again to the app, the place they’ve already established a big following.

I lately seemed on the Threads exercise of the highest 50 most adopted profiles on X, and matched that to their posts on Threads, and located that just about half of those high accounts don’t actually have a Threads presence, which isn’t an awesome sign for the app.

The vast majority of sports activities and information accounts are nonetheless prioritizing X, whereas massive title Indian celebrities additionally haven’t made the change. These are vital parts of the Twitter/X expertise, and if Threads can’t win them over, it may make it troublesome to take care of its development momentum.

Nonetheless, it’s early days for the app, and I do anticipate that Threads will cross 200 million month-to-month customers shortly, versus X’s claimed 500 million month-to-month actives. That’s loads of alternative, and it feels prefer it may solely take just a few extra Elon controversies to drive a extra vital shift away from his app.

And on the identical time, X remains to be struggling to win again advert companions, which may even play a key position in its future evolution.

The challenges for X on this regard are diversified, starting from Musk’s ongoing criticisms of former advertisers which have reduce their X advert spend, to his many controversial takes on political sizzling button points, to Group Notes being displayed on advertisements within the app, explaining why they’re deceptive.

Because of this, advertisers are seemingly nonetheless staying away from the app.

AdWeek has reported that massive manufacturers are spending round 55% much less on Tremendous Bowl advertisements on X this 12 months, with their budgets as a substitute going to TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram. That might recommend that X’s advert income, its key earnings supply, remains to be down by round half on what it was earlier than Elon took over on the app, and at some stage, based mostly on X’s prices, and required funding in new initiatives, it may grow to be an existential concern for the app.

Possibly that would be the factor that pushes extra customers in direction of Threads, and actually, that’s doubtless what Meta constructed the app for, to offer another in case of a full X collapse, with a purpose to scoop up these cast-offs with an analogous expertise.

To be clear, the full destruction of X nonetheless appears unlikely, particularly in an election 12 months. However the challenges for Elon’s “the whole lot app” are persevering with to mount, whereas on the identical time, extra individuals are, as a minimum, giving Threads a shot.