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Instagram's Game-Changing App Set to Challenge Elon Musk's Twitter

Instagram to Launch Text-Based App to Challenge Twitter: A Blend of Instagram and Twitter in One

23 May 2023

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Kunal Tyagi

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  • Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms, is developing a text-based microblogging app codenamed P92 or Barcelona to compete with Elon Musk's Twitter app.

  • The app will combine the features of Instagram and Twitter, allowing users to engage in conversations, share links, photos, and videos, and deepen connections with their audience.

  • Meta aims to integrate the app with Instagram and potentially other platforms like Twitter and Mastodon, providing a decentralized social network experience.

In a bid to compete with Elon Musk's Twitter app, Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms, is set to introduce a microblogging app that combines the best of Instagram and Twitter functionalities. Codenamed P92 or Barcelona, this text-based app aims to provide users with a platform for conversations, allowing them to engage with their audience, attach links, photos, and videos, and deepen connections with friends, fans, and creators. With an expected release date by the end of June, Instagram's new offering has generated significant interest among influencers and content creators, as Meta reaches out to gauge their interest.


The upcoming Instagram app, described as "Instagram's new text-based app for conversations," will allow users to control who can mention their account or reply to their posts. Drawing from Instagram's blocklist and community guidelines, the app aims to foster safe and authentic interactions. Public profiles will enable users to search for, follow, and interact with others' content, while private profiles can approve followers. The app will feature a feed where users can make text posts up to 500 characters long, accompanied by links, photos, and videos. This seamless integration of text-based posts and multimedia content creates a unique blend of Instagram's visual appeal and Twitter's concise messaging.


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Meta has been actively contacting talent agencies and celebrities, seeking their involvement in testing the early version of the app, which will be tightly integrated with Instagram. This integration strategy aligns with Meta's vision to create a decentralized social network and provides an alternative space for creators and public figures to share timely updates about their interests. The company aims to establish compatibility with other platforms like Twitter and Mastodon, leveraging protocols such as ActivityPub to foster interconnectedness among social networks.


Meta's pursuit of a text-based app stems from its intention to attract users who are seeking alternatives to Twitter following Elon Musk's influential involvement and subsequent rule changes. By entering the space dominated by Twitter, Meta aims to offer users a compelling option that combines the best features of both platforms. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, is overseeing the project, emphasizing the company's commitment to this venture. With Meta's track record of incorporating popular features from other platforms, they are poised to consolidate various experiences and potentially outpace Twitter in becoming the desired "everything app" as envisioned by Musk.


While the app's exact name remains undisclosed, leaked details have given us a glimpse of what to expect. Users will be able to log in using their existing Instagram credentials, and their followers, username, bio, and verification badge will seamlessly transfer to the new app. With controls allowing users to manage responses and mentions, the app aims to offer a tailored and safer user experience. By leveraging its existing user base and the integration with Instagram, Meta has positioned itself for a successful launch. The upcoming release of Instagram's text-based app will undoubtedly reshape the landscape of microblogging platforms, providing users with a versatile and engaging space to express themselves.

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