Instagram will discontinue its standalone messaging app by the end of the year. After reports of a possible shutdown last week, the company confirmed that it is preparing for the decision in a statement to TechCrunch.
“We are now focusing our efforts on improving the way you communicate with close friends on Instagram, and turning off Thread,” an Instagram spokesperson told the outlet. “We’re bringing the fun and unique features that were in Threads to the main Instagram app, and we’ll continue to build ways people can better connect with their close friends on Instagram.”
The platform will notify users to stop the app completely on November 23, and the notification will direct users to use the main app to continue chatting with their friends.
Once Threads is discontinued, it will be removed from the App Store and Google Play, and will also sign users out of it.
