The Meta-owned social media app Threads, previously known as P92 or Barcelona, has already reached millions of users since its official launch. Many users, except people in the EU, are busy exploring the microblogging platform, posting their experiences and memes on other platforms (read Twitter).
It goes without saying that using Threads is an experience similar to Twitter. You can share your thoughts as threads, like and comment on threads posted by others, and repost them with or without a quote. While Threads offers an ad-free experience at the moment, it strips away some common features that are present on its rival app Twitter and other popular social media apps.
You can't bookmark or save posts for later
In Meta's own words, Threads is an Instagram spinoff for text-based conversations. But the app doesn't allow users to save threads popping up in their feed for later use. On the flip side, the Instagram app allows users to save their favorite posts and Reels into folders called Collections.
The ability to save posts for later use is available on other social media apps, including Twitter, LinkedIn, and the Meta-owned Facebook. Earlier this year, Instagram also added a feature called Collaborative Collections that lets users share their saved posts with others.
You can't search for anything except user handles
Tapping on the lens icon in the Threads app lets you use the app's search feature. But unlike Twitter, which shows a platter of trending hashtags and topics, the search tab on Threads is currently limited to a list of accounts that you can follow.
Typing a query into the search bar only displays a list of user accounts that are the closest match to the text you input. The Threads app doesn't seem to include an Explore section even though the functionality is present on its parent app Instagram.
The app also doesn't offer support for hashtags at the moment and you can't use hashtags in the search bar to discover trending content. If you try to add a hashtag while creating a new thread or type it in a comment, the hashtag will display as plain text.
You can't delete your Threads profile directly
Being an Instagram spinoff, you can start using the Threads app after logging in with your existing Instagram account. Here, you can save some time by importing your bio and links added to your Instagram bio.
However, once created, it's not possible to delete your Threads profile without deleting your Instagram account. Although, it can be deactivated temporarily if you want to get off the platform for a while.
To deactivate your Threads profile, go to your profile page > tap on the Settings button in the top-right corner > Account > Deactivate profile. Instagram says that "your profile, threads, replies and likes will be hidden until you reactivate by logging back in."
You can't send direct messages
While it may not be a deal-breaker for some users, the Threads app also lacks the ability to send direct messages. You can't send messages to an account you follow on the app and it seems that the only way to interact with others is via comments. Again, many social media apps such as Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn let you send messages to individual connections or even groups.
Anyway, the only place where you can explore new content on the Threads app is the Home tab. With that said, it should be noted that Threads is a new platform with a smaller user base when compared to Twitter and other apps.
However, the lack of essential features may be hard to digest as Threads is built by Meta, a company with almost two decades of experience running the popular social networking platform Facebook. The company, then known as Facebook, Inc., also acquired rival platforms Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
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