Threads has officially released “Live Chats” to enable for real-time conversations during cultural events.
On Wednesday, the company announced the feature, aiming to assist make the app feel more relevant.
Initially, Live Chats will be available within the NBA Threads community during the Playoffs. Media personalities, including Rachel Nichols, Malika Andrews, Da Kid Gowie, will host Live Chats during games.
Users can share media files, messages, emojis, and more. Nearly 150 participants can actively send messages in chat.
After reaching a limit, additional users can view the chat, react to messages, and participate in polls in “spectator” mode.
The update comes as the parent company eyes to compete with its rivals such as X (formerly Twitter) and aims to make it better via the addition of a feature that remains unavailable in the Elon Musk owned platform.
Meta stated, “It’s a new way to build community with others around shared interests like an album drop or a big game as it unfolds.”
“Live Chats are an extension of what’s already happening on Threads — and a new way for creators and fans to connect over what matters to them in real time. Live Chats are more dynamic than traditional group chats because they’re designed for real-time conversations around cultural moments as they’re happening.”
With this feature, users can join Live Chats from the top of a Community feed, via the shared post in their main feed, or by tapping the red live ring around a host’s profile photo. Although Live Chats end after a certain time, they remain open and publicly discoverable after they end.
Further, the company plans to integrate a range of advanced features in Live Chats, including co-hosting, real-time play-by-play updates, and more.
Availability
As per Meta, Thread's latest feature will be initially accessible to select groups of creators, with plans for broader expansion in the near future.
