HIGHLIGHTS

* Project 92 could be called Threads when it releases publically.
* Meta is testing Project 92 with select celebrities around the globe.
* Project 92 will be interoperable with other ActivityPub-powered apps like Mastodon.
* Instagram has officially confirmed that it is indeed working on a Twitter competitor.
* The new app will be text-based and function similar to Twitter.
* It will be synced with your Instagram account though, and support other apps too.

The way Elon Musk has run Twitter since he took over has left many devoted users of the platform wanting alternatives. This led to the popularity of apps like Mastodon and Bluesky and as a result, the social media juggernaut Meta does not want to be left behind.

It has been working on a Twitter competitor internally codenamed Project 92 for the last few months. This under-development social network has now surfaced in a new leak that gives us an idea of what it might look like.

Instagram has been working on a new standalone app that will compete with Twitter. It’s a text-based app but one that syncs with your Instagram account and others as well. This was only rumoured earlier but the company has now confirmed that there is indeed such an app, and plans to launch it soon.

As of now the app is codenamed “Project 92,” but it could be called Threads which coincidentally is the name of an Instagram had launched but shut it down.

Instagram’s Twitter Competitor

Instagram previewed the upcoming app at a companywide meeting where it talked a little bit about the app and also showed a glimpse of how it would look like, according to a report by The Verge. Instagram wasn’t shy about admitting that this app will compete with Twitter and even calling it “our response to Twitter”.

A screenshot of Project 92’s presentation slide has leaked and been shared by The Verge. It was a presentation from one of the top Meta executives for other employees. The leaked slide mentions Project 92 release timeline as “Coming Soon” which means it could arrive sooner than later. It then shows three interfaces of the app meant for SSO (Single Sign-On), Feed, and Reply.

SSO is the page on which users will be able to sign in. The slide shows the Twitter competitor app will support Instagram accounts. This is not surprising as Instagram is behind the development. It will be a stand-alone app and could be called Threads once it releases publically.

Project 92 is powered by an open and decentralized social networking protocol ActivityPub. This is the reason the app is expected to support other ActivityPub-powered apps like Mastodon. It means users will be able to use the same set of login credentials and take their accounts and followers to other apps.

Chris Cox, Chief Product Officer at Meta, reportedly described the app as “our response to Twitter”. He added, “We’ve been hearing from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run, that they believe that they can trust and rely upon for distribution.” Many celebrities have reportedly committed to using the app expected to release as soon as possible.

As per the screenshot, Project 92’s feed interface is very similar to what we have on Twitter. One can see the user’s name along with the verified badge and the shared post. Each post has options to like, comment, re-share on your feed, and share on other platforms. There are tabs for the user to access the home screen, search, compose a new post, check liked posts and view his own profile.

Even the Reply interface is a Twitter clone. You have your original poster at the top followed by replies. The app seems to be prioritizing replies from verified accounts. You can further check the number of likes and replies each reply has received.

All-in-all, Project 92 is looking like a Twitter clone as per the leaked screenshot but things could change by the time it is officially announced.

From the above screenshot we can see that the new Instagram app has a Twitter-like UI and where text posts from various people are presented in a centralised feed.

There are buttons below each post to heart (like), comment, reshare or share the post.
Below is the menu tab which has a button for the home page, search, new post, likes and profile.

It’s a simple easy-to-understand UI which looks and works very similar to Twitter.
The new app will sync with your Instagram account so you can have all your data imported here.

This means your followers, people you follow, your handle, bio and even verification will be visible on the app. You will also be able to keep the same settings as your Instagram account.

Instagram is also adding support for other apps that are integrated with Activity Hub like Mastodon. This is another Twitter-like app that launched back in 2016. This is possible through Activity Hub which lets social networking apps work together on a single platform.

There’s no word on the official launch date yet but Instagram plans to launch it as soon as possible. It has also roped in celebrities including Oprah, the Dalai Lama and DJ Slime to use the app when it’s available.

Faqs

1) Instagram’s ‘Project 92’ Twitter competitor surfaces.Details?

Ans) Meta, the company behind Instagram, has been diligently working on its own Twitter alternative. As the anticipated launch draws near, leaked slides from an internal meeting shed light on the app’s design and functionality via The Verge.

The app, internally known as “Project 92” and potentially named “Threads,” utilizes Instagram’s account system to automatically populate user information. The forthcoming standalone app, described by Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, as “our response to Twitter,” will integrate with ActivityPub, a decentralized social media protocol.

This integration paves the way for users to seamlessly transfer their accounts and followers to other ActivityPub-supporting apps, such as Mastodon. According to a top executive, the company has received interest from creators and public figures seeking a responsibly operated platform.

Cox revealed that development for the app commenced in January, expressing Meta’s commitment to release it at the earliest opportunity. Notably, DJ Slime and other prominent personalities have already committed to using the app, with discussions underway with notable figures like Oprah and the Dalai Lama.

Chris Cox, Meta’s Chief Product Officer, shared the following thoughts on the app’s development:

We’ve heard from creators and public figures who want a platform that’s well-managed, trustworthy, and reliable for content distribution. Our aim for the app is to prioritize safety, user-friendliness, and reliability. We want to provide creators with a stable environment to build and expand their audiences.

2) Project 92 Screenshots Leaked Online: New Leak Shows How Instagram’s Twitter Rival Will Look Like.Details?

Ans) Meta has successfully adapted many popular features of its competitors into its social media platforms. Now, it is ready to start a war with Twitter.
Mark Zuckerberg-owned company plans to bring text-based posting features like Twitter. The new app (internally known as Project 92) will use Instagram’s account system.
Instagram’s Twitter Rival Revealed

In recent leaks, the new Meta app has been spotted. It offers a sneak peek into the app’s design and functionality. The standalone app might be potentially named “Threads.”
The new app will integrate with ActivityPub, a decentralized social media protocol. This will allow users to seamlessly transfer their accounts and followers to other ActivityPub-supporting apps like Mastodon.

Meta’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, stated that the new Instagram’s Project 92 app is “our response to Twitter.” The company is pitching it as a responsibly operated platform.
The new app has been in development since January. Meta plans to offer it to the public as soon as possible and cash in on fatigue among Twitter users.
Many notable figures have been roped in to use the app before the public launch.

“We’ve heard from creators and public figures who want a platform that’s well-managed, trustworthy, and reliable for content distribution,” said Chris Cox, Meta’s Chief Product Officer, about the app’s development.
“Our aim for the app is to prioritize safety, user-friendliness, and reliability. We want to provide creators with a stable environment to build and expand their audiences,” he added.

3) New leak gives us another look at what Instagram’s Twitter competitor will look like.Details?

Ans) We already got a sense of what Instagram’s upcoming Twitter competitor might look like, and today’s leak just adds fuel to that fire.

The Verge got access to an internal meeting at Meta in which employees discussed the upcoming social media app. In the meeting, the company shared screenshots of what Project 92 (the internal codename of the product) will look like. The screenshots are very similar to what we saw with another leak back in May.

According to internal documents and the meeting, the app, which is straight up being called a “response to Twitter” by Meta chief product officer Chris Cox, could publicly be called Threads.

The forthcoming app, which, in the meeting today, Meta chief product officer Chris Cox called “our response to Twitter,” will use Instagram’s account system to automatically populate a user’s information. The internal codename for the app is “Project 92,” and its public name could be Threads, based on internal documents also seen by The Verge.
According to Cox, Project 92 is also being built as a platform that will be “sanely run,” without directly mentioning Elon Musk’s rollercoaster over at Twitter.

“We’ve been hearing from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run, that they believe that they can trust and rely upon distribution,” Cox said, throwing direct shade at Elon Musk’s handling of Twitter, to cheers from the audience. He said the company’s goal for the app was “safety, ease of use, reliability” and making sure that creators have a “stable place to build and grow their audiences.”
According to the leak back in May, the following features are expected to be available when the app launches:

* You can post text updates up to 500 characters (that’s less than an Instagram caption, an extended tweet, or a LinkedIn post so be concise!)
* You can attach links, photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long
* You can engage with likes, replies, and reposts

It’s very much Twitter, but with the benefits of being able to connect your Instagram and followers from there. I’m personally willing to give it a go, especially since Twitter has been nothing but a total mess since last fall. We’ll see if Meta, of all things, becomes the real place that people choose as their Twitter alternative.

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