In a surprising turn of events, the Threads team has revealed that they are not currently working on a separate inbox or direct messaging system for their social network, despite user demands. Instead, they will continue to rely on the Instagram inbox for messaging capabilities. However, there may be hope for users looking for a more integrated messaging experience, as the company is considering making it easier to send messages to Instagram directly from the Threads app.
Public Test Feature
Recently, an app researcher named Adwaith Varma uncovered an unreleased Threads feature that showcased a new messaging button on users’ profiles. This button would allow users to quickly send a message to someone’s Instagram inbox with just a few taps. Although Threads confirmed that this feature was only a public test with a limited group of users and is no longer active, it hints at the company’s potential plans to introduce new messaging capabilities in the future.
Despite the lack of a separate messaging system, Threads remains heavily integrated with Instagram, which could present challenges for users with private profiles. Currently, the only way to message a user privately is by tapping on the Instagram icon on their profile and using the Instagram inbox. This dependency on Instagram for messaging may not be ideal for users who prefer a more streamlined communication experience.
The decision to forego a separate messaging system sets Threads apart from its competitors, such as X and Bluesky. X/Twitter has long offered a direct messaging system, with recent features like message editing. Bluesky has also introduced its own messaging product, with plans to implement end-to-end encryption in the future. While Mastodon lacks a dedicated inbox, users can still communicate privately through mentions in posts.
Although Threads is currently focused on leveraging the Instagram inbox for messaging, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has hinted at the possibility of a separate inbox if an integrated solution proves challenging. Mosseri’s rationale is that many users have overlapping social circles on both Instagram and Threads, but there are still distinct groups with separate timelines. This suggests that a separate inbox could offer a more tailored messaging experience for users with diverse social networks.
While Threads may not be actively working on a separate messaging system at the moment, there is potential for future developments that could enhance the messaging experience for users. By considering user feedback and analyzing industry trends, Threads may eventually introduce new features to improve communication on their platform. Only time will tell if Threads will ultimately decide to implement a separate inbox or continue to integrate with Instagram for messaging capabilities.