News Analysis India

Tag: Threads

  • Apple Removes Meta-Owned WhatsApp And Threads From Its App Store In China; Know Why? |

    New Delhi: The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has removed the Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China. The company has made this move after the request of the Chinese government. 

    According to The Financial Times reports, the iPhone manufacturer company asserted that the country’s internet regulator Cyberspace Administration of China had ordered the applications’ removal from the App Store because of ‘national security concerns’. 

    “We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree,” Apple was quoted as saying. According to the report, Meta’s other communications platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available on the App Store in the country. (Also Read: Apple Showcases 5 Indian Filmmakers Chosen For ‘MAMI Select-Filmed on iPhone’)

    According to Rich Bishop, chief executive of the leading international app publisher in China, AppInChina, the apps were delisted after the Chinese government’s internet regulator and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a deadline of April 1 for app developers to register with the government.

    In China, Apple saw a double-digit decline in overall smartphone unit sales in the first six weeks of 2024. iPhone sales fell 24 per cent over the period because of stiff competition, according to Counterpoint Research. (Also Read: Apple Watch Series 9 Available For Only Rs 7,080 On Amazon; Here’s How To Grab Deal With Bank Discount)

    According to Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang, “Although the iPhone 15 is a great device, it has no significant upgrades from the previous version, so consumers feel fine holding on to the older-generation iPhones for now”.

    Apart from this, Apple has recently launched the latest beta version of its iOS operating system, termed as iOS 17.5 Beta 2. The new version packs with the new features and functionalities. It will be available to eligible iPhone models after its public release next month. (With Inputs From IANS)

  • Meta Testing New ‘Trending Topics’ Feature On X Rival Threads |

    New Delhi: Meta’s Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has unveiled that the company is currently experimenting with a new feature for Threads known as “Trending Topics.” This feature aims to provide users with insights into the popular conversations happening on the platform. The initial testing phase of this feature is being rolled out to users in the US, with plans for a broader launch in other countries and languages once it’s refined.

    In a Threads post, Zuckerberg stated, “We’re launching a limited test of today’s top topics on Threads in the US. We plan to expand its availability to more regions and languages as we refine its performance.” Additionally, Meta has indicated that this feature will highlight current discussions and will be visible in searches as well as within the For You feed of the app. (Also Read: Elon Musk-owned X Will Allow Advertisers To Only Run Ads On Selected Profiles)

    Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, confirmed the testing of the “Trending Topics” feature on Threads, explaining, “The topics showcased on Threads today will be accessible through the search page and the For You feed. Our AI systems determine these topics based on real-time engagement within Threads.”

    Mosseri further elaborated, “While our AI systems select the topics, our content specialists will review them to ensure they are relevant and non-duplicative. We aim for these topics to accurately reflect the current trends on Threads, including political discussions.”

    Meanwhile, Meta has clarified its stance on political content, stating that it won’t actively suggest political content by default to users on Instagram and Threads. (Also Read: Redmi Buds 5 Launched In India With Hybrid Noise Cancellation; Check Price, Specs, And Availability)

    Threads, Meta’s text-based platform rivaling Twitter, is seamlessly integrated with Instagram, allowing users to sign up using their Instagram credentials.

  • Meta Will Stop Suggesting Political Content To Users On Both Instagram And Threads |

    New Delhi: Instagram users can now expect relief from unwanted political content flooding their feeds. According to Variety, Instagram announced in a blog post that it will no longer “proactively recommend” political content from accounts that users have not already followed. This policy extends to Threads, the Twitter-like app introduced last summer under the Instagram brand.

    The Meta-owned company said “We want Instagram and Threads to be a great experience for everyone. If you decide to follow accounts that post political content, we don’t want to get between you and their posts, but we also don’t want to proactively recommend political content from accounts you don’t follow,”. (Also Read: OpenAI Introduces Watermarking For AI-Generated Images Via DALL-E 3; Check Details)

    Both apps will introduce a setting that allows users who wish to continue seeing political content recommendations to opt-in. According to the post, a similar control will be implemented on Facebook at a later time. Instagram defines “political content” as content potentially associated with topics such as laws, elections, or social issues. (Also Read: Tech Layoffs Surges By 136% In 2024; Is AI To Blame? Check What Study Claims)

    “Our goal is to preserve the ability for people to choose to interact with political content, while respecting each person’s appetite for it,” Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, stated in a post on Threads.

    The updated policy to discontinue recommending political content applies to areas of Instagram including Explore, Reels, In-Feed Recommendations and Suggested Users. Meta has already been deprioritising political content across its social apps, including on Facebook.

    “People have told us they want to see less political content, so we have spent the last few years refining our approach on Facebook to reduce the amount of political content – including from politicians’ accounts – you see in Feed, Reels, Watch, Groups You Should Join, and Pages You May Like,” the company explained in a post on its Transparency Center site, Variety reported.

    The Instagram blog post noted that professional accounts on the app can check the Account Status setting to see if their posts are eligible to be recommended — based on whether they recently posted “political content.” If Instagram has blocked an account’s posts from recommendations, pro users may edit or remove recent posts to regain eligibility or request a review if they disagree with Instagram’s designation. (With ANI Inputs)

  • Meta’s X Rival Threads Has 130 Million Active Users Now |

    New Delhi: Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared that Threads, Meta’s text-based conversation app, has achieved a milestone with over 130 million monthly active users. This figure surpasses the peak levels Threads experienced immediately after its launch in July 2023.

    During Meta’s earnings call, Zuckerberg expressed his optimism regarding Threads’ continued growth, emphasizing ongoing improvements and increasing user engagement. He highlighted that the current active user count exceeds the initial surge observed at the app’s launch. (Also Read: Dating In Digital Era: Russian Man Unveils ChatGPT’s Role In Crafting His Love Story, Read)

    Back in July 2023, Zuckerberg had ambitious plans for Threads, envisioning it as Meta’s next billion-user platform alongside established platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. While it’s still early days, Threads seems to be making significant strides. (Also Read: India’s Stock Exchanges Cut Paytm Daily Trading Limits To 10% After Rout)

    In comparison to X (formerly Twitter) with around 550 million monthly active users, Threads has room for growth. Meta is actively investing to scale the app, addressing initial usage decline issues by swiftly introducing key features like keyword search and multiple account support.

    Meta’s focused efforts on enhancing Threads with features such as editing capabilities, voice posts, improved discovery, and more have yielded positive results.

    Daily downloads nearly tripled to 28 million in December. The app’s expansion into the EU and increased integration with Instagram profiles further contributed to its growth.

    Looking ahead, Meta’s CFO stated that the company is committed to scaling Threads’ community even further by introducing additional features and enhancements throughout 2024.