Meta Threads Launches Android Beta Program: Here's How To Join
Meta has launched a beta testing program for the new social network Threads, its fresh outta the oven Twitter clone that has already amassed over 70 million users and made Elon Musk sweat. With an envious momentum under its belt, Meta wants to give users a peek into the upcoming features and get tester feedback before they are released widely.
To become a beta tester, visit the official Play Store beta registration page for Threads and hit the "Become A Tester" button. Alternatively, if you have the app already installed on your Android phone, follow these steps to enroll in the app's beta program:
1. On your phone, launch the Google Play Store and open the Threads app listing page.
2. On the app's listing page, scroll down to the section that says "Join the beta." Underneath the "Join the beta" header, tap on the "Join" button.
Nadeem Sarwar / SlashGear
3. You will now see a dialogue box that asks whether you want to participate in the beta testing program for Threads. Tap on the "Join" option and you're good to go.
Nadeem Sarwar / SlashGear
4. Once the enrollment is successful, the Play Store listing of Threads will say "You're a beta tester" in the same place where you earlier found the "Join the beta" section.
Nadeem Sarwar / SlashGear
5. After successfully registering in the beta circle, the app will get an OTA update. Hit the Update button on the app's Play Store page to experience all the new in-development Threads features.
Nadeem Sarwar / SlashGear
What to expect from the Threads beta?
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has promised a whole bunch of features that are currently "on the list" for Threads. Mosseri says the ability to edit messages is on the radar and it might be available for free. Twitter, on the other hand, requires a Twitter Blue subscription to let you edit tweets.
The most demanded feature on Threads is a chronological feed that only shows posts from accounts you follow instead of an algorithmically-curated feed. Mosseri says work will continue on this feature for the next couple of weeks, further hinting that it might be available in an optional format.
Work is also underway on enabling hashtags for Threads. Moreover, users might soon be able to switch between two different Threads profiles, just the way they can toggle between two Instagram accounts on the mobile app.
Threads currently exists as a view-only platform on the web, but a desktop version is in the pipeline, as well. Other features that are currently on the consideration table, according to Mosseri, are a dedicated search system, an automatic translation tool, and more privacy controls for comments.