Threads, the Twitter-like app from Instagram, is introducing new features that allow users to save drafts and take photos within the app. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced these features, stating that they are intended to simplify the process of sharing ideas on the go. The rollout of these features follows a testing phase with a select group of users and fulfills two of the most requested features on the platform.
With these new features, Threads becomes more competitive with X (formerly Twitter), which has long offered the ability to save drafts and access a camera shortcut. However, Threads currently only allows users to save one draft at a time, whereas X enables users to save multiple drafts simultaneously. Users can now begin composing a post that they intend to share later and save it as a draft by swiping down within the app.
The camera shortcut within the Threads app allows users to easily capture photos directly within the app. By clicking on the camera icon in the composer, users can take a photo instantly. After taking a photo, users have the option to either share it immediately or retake it if needed. This shortcut streamlines the process of sharing photos in real-time, eliminating the need to use a separate camera app and then attach the photo from the camera roll to a Threads post.
Coinciding with the launch of this camera shortcut, app researcher Nima Owji suggested that X might be considering adopting Threads’ carousel format for displaying images. Currently, X displays images in a grid format, but there is speculation that this could change in the future.