Meta's Threads app is on the up, at least in terms of downloads, at least to the point where it currently sits atop the iOS downloads chart for September, at least according to the latest data from AppFigures.
most of the top spots remain the same from the previous month, although AppFigures does note that overall app downloads fell in both July and August.

But Threads has kept receiving attention. That does not necessarily mean all these downloads translate into much more active users; people may try this for a bit before moving on. But it's still another signal that Meta is, at minimum, onto something with its Twitter clone app.

Of course, the temporary ban in Brazil of X helped Threads see a jump both in that country as downloads of Threads and decentralized social app Bluesky increased. That's probably the biggest factor which has pushed Threads higher, though in the overall download charts, Threads only jumped one spot to number 5.

So it's not some meteoric, unprecedented surge in increase either, but still, Threads is holding firm in the download charts, which bodes well for its overall prospects.

Where is X in this?

X ix currently 42nd in the iOS download charts in the U.S., so it's still struggling to maximize interest following its rebrand.

Some have said that's because X is not a new app, so it's not going to gain traction the same way one would if people hadn't got it on their phones already, but that rings hollow when in light of apps like Facebook and Instagram, which stay high on the listings.

But again, that is never stopping Elon Musk from trying to spin this data.
As I've said many times, X isn't a news app. and it's only in the "News" category on iOS because former Twitter management had its classification changed to avoid unfavorable comparisons to Facebook. But it isn't a news app, and technically can't even be classified as one in the Google Play Store because it largely leans on UGC for content.

X is a social media app-and still a popular on at that. And with 250 million daily active users, it is way ahead of the user counts for these actual news apps.

So the suggestion that X is a preferred source of news because of this is an utter misnomer, which Elon knows, but that's not stopping him from seeking to re-angle whatever information he can to his benefit.

If that, in itself, does not at least raise questions over his tactics, then I do not know what to say.
But at 200 million users and counting, it may just prove a legitimate competitor in the real-time social space, and a potential challenger to X on this count. Still has a long way to go, and there are plenty of communities residing on X that don't look like they're going anywhere anytime soon. Layer that on top of Threads noted aversion to politics, and things are not going to be easy for Threads to unseat X overall.

Maybe after the U.S. election, when politics is less of an issue, there will be room for that.

My prediction? If Trump wins, Elon and X will find ways to pump life back into the business, in addition to finding new support. The cycle of headlines will keep politics center-stage, driving more engagement in the app. If Harris wins, however, politics will seem like it is ceding ground -- and that's better for Threads.