Metas Threads propelled another app called Threads to the top

Meta’s Threads propelled another app called Threads to the top of the App Store charts

When Instagram launched Threads on July 5th, Meta CEO was Mark Zuckerberg went to twitter For the first time in 11 years. In the tweet, which contained no text, Zuckerberg referenced the Spider-Man pointing meme to smack Elon Musk. Using this meme turned out to be more appropriate than the Facebook founder could have imagined.

As TechCrunch points out, the release of Instagram’s Threads was a boon to another app of the same name. According to an estimate Data.ai shared with the outlet, Threads, a Slack alternative that’s been around since 2019, saw more than 880,000 downloads on iOS between July 6 and July 12. While it previously had “low downloads,” Threads became the 52nd most downloaded App Store program worldwide. It even made the top 10 in some European Union countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy. This could be due to the fact that Instagram’s threads aren’t available in the EU and Meta has since started blocking people trying to access the service via a VPN.

Additionally, Threads (the Slack alternative) saw a “significant” increase in traffic to its site due to the fact that it owns threads.com. In fact, the company has since added a badge to its homepage stating that it’s “not affiliated with Instagram.” You can find a similar disclaimer on Twitter. “We have no connection to Meta. But you’re welcome to stay here!” says the company’s profile.

Of course, Meta and Threads aren’t the first companies to use the same branding. As TechCrunch notes, there are more than a few companies with the Lightyear name, including a solar electric vehicle startup, an online course platform, and two separate fintech companies. Still, it’s an odd coincidence considering Threads, the workplace chat app, was co-founded by Rousseau Kazi, a former Facebook product manager. Oh, and Meta used to run an Instagram companion app that was also confusingly named Threads. I suppose originality no longer exists in Silicon Valley.