At launch, Threads lacked many of the features users would expect from a service similar to X’s. Over the last few months, more and more new features have been rolling out to give users a more powerful experience, including polls, an easy way to publish GIFs, and the ability to quote posts from around the web. Yet because it lacks an API, third-party developers can’t create features specific to their services that would make the social network a more integral part of people’s daily lives. One example of this is that local transit agencies can automatically send service alerts when a train is delayed. Threads is working on an API for developers, according to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri talked about Threads
As first reported by TechCrunch, Mosseri responded to talk of having a TweetDeck-like experience for Threads on the platform. In response to a user who said Threads didn’t have an API yet, the admin said, “We’re working on it.” he said.
Mosseri has previously said that Threads will not support news. This may have been disappointing for publishers and readers who wanted to leave X. Instead, he said, Threads wants to empower creators in general. More recently, in an AMA he posted on the platform, Mosseri said his team’s long-term desire is for Threads to become the de facto platform for online public conversations, meaning it’s both culturally relevant and user-friendly. He said he believes Threads has a chance to surpass X, but he knows his service has a long way to go.