Meta’s Threads app is introducing new functionalities, welcoming the addition of GIFs and polls. CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed these updates through the Threads platform while responding to user queries, integrating GIFs and polls in his interactions. Both GIFs and polls are now available on the Threads app and web version.
Previously, users employed external tools or copying from other sources to incorporate GIFs, leading to varied outcomes. Now, the app features an inbuilt GIF button in the post creation window, allowing direct access to a searchable GIPHY library for GIF selection.
The polling feature supports up to four choices and manages the respondents’ visibility. The poll lasts for 24 hours, with only participants accessing the results. Users will spot the poll button in the post-creation toolbar, resembling three horizontal lines.
Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, expressed his enthusiasm for these updates, explaining how polls can engage others on subjects they care about and how GIFs can aptly convey emotions.
Beyond these enhancements, Threads is undergoing additional tests, such as view counts and pinned posts. View counts aim to gauge community engagement, while pinned posts have been improved to enable users to pin a response to their post, resembling features seen on Instagram.
During Meta’s quarterly earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg announced Threads’ growing user base, nearing 100 million monthly users since its launch in July. Expressing contentment with the app’s progress, Zuckerberg highlighted the aspiration to further expand the Threads community, aiming for a billion users in the coming years.
