iWorld
Meta to unveil web version of Threads next week, suggest media reports
Mumbai: Meta, the social media mammoth, is planning to launch the web version of Threads next week, as per media reports. Threads, as we all are aware, is the rival app to Elon Musk’s Twitter/X.
The reports mention that Meta is planning to roll out the web version of Threads early next week but the plans aren’t yet final and it could be changed. The users can see the thread’s posts on the web but access to it is limited as the threads app is built keeping mobile users in mind.
Last week, Threads and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri brought to the fore that the web version of Threads is being tested internally. The reports noted that Threads had started showing labels for state-controlled media outlets in a bid to stop fake news and propaganda.
In a post on Threads, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the web version would reach users over the next few days. Meta brought out that it will add more features to the web version of Threads in the coming weeks. But, some features of the mobile app won’t be available just yet. For instance, web users won’t be able to edit their profile or send a thread over to Instagram direct messages.
Meta revealed that the web experience would permit posting, viewing the feed, and interacting with others’ posts.
Threads crossed 100 million sign-ups for the app within five days of its launch on 5 July. Consequently, it saw a decline in its number of users.
The launch of the web version of Threads is much awaited and is expected to receive wider acceptance among companies, brands, advertisers, and media professionals – they would be able to exploit the platform’s web version to its full potential.
As per a Reuters report citing analytics platform Similarweb data, the daily active users on Android version of Threads app fell to 10.3 million from the peak of 49.3 million in a period of over a month.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
