Instagram Announces Threads - A Standalone Messaging App for Close Friends

Instagram introduced a new standalone app called Threads which helps you to interact more with your close friends on Instagram. Just like 'Close friends' option when you share a story on Instagram. You need to add close friends list to communicate solely with them through the app when you are using Instagram.

Instagram mentioned in a blog, Threads will enable the user to easily add or remove people from their close friends' list and will give them a dedicated inbox which includes only these friends. By default, the Threads application will open the camera and allow you to create shortcuts for people on your list of close friends. This is precisely how Snapchat works, but Instagram has never been reluctant to copy it's rival's apps features.

Though, the most exciting feature of the device is most likely the automatic status update. When enabled, this feature will allow Threads to request location, movement, battery level and network connection of your smartphone. With this, the Threads can share related information with your close friends. For example, Threads can automatically update its status to 'At an Event' based on the shared location data, and if it detects that you are moving, your status will reflect it.

Afraid of concerns about privacy violations; Instagram has made it clear that the automatic status program is fully enabled and can be deactivated any time. Instagram has published an entirely different post that explains the Thread's privacy. However, Facebook's irregular history with user data handling, there are likely to be questions about this new automatic status feature.

Threads is rolling out this feature globally on Android and iOS.