X CEO Linda Yaccarino, leading the company formerly known as Twitter, indicated that despite the notable slowdown in growth of Meta’s rival app Threads, the company remains vigilant. In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Yaccarino emphasized that while Threads initially garnered significant attention with a strong launch leveraging its Instagram user base, interest has since waned considerably.
“Threads did generate substantial hype and benefited from a launchpad provided by their Instagram users… [but] interest has dropped off sharply,” Yaccarino noted. “Nevertheless, we cannot afford to underestimate any competitor because they will continue to innovate. Despite the stalled launch, we are closely monitoring all their activities.”
Yaccarino reiterated that X’s primary focus remains on its own trajectory towards profitability, amidst their recent rebranding efforts. She suggested that Threads may be attempting to emulate Twitter’s previous identity before its transformation into X.
“It appears that Threads might be retracing the steps Twitter once took—enter rebrand, enter X—while we are steadfast in defining what X will become, with a distinct roadmap and vision,” she explained.
Since assuming the role of CEO from Elon Musk in June, Yaccarino has overseen X’s ambitious rebranding initiative, aiming to evolve into an all-encompassing “everything app” akin to China’s WeChat. Despite challenges in revitalizing its core advertising business, Yaccarino remains optimistic about X’s future growth prospects.
“Our rebrand signifies a departure from Twitter, enabling us to move beyond legacy thinking and envision new ways for global interactions—from congregating to transacting—all in one place,” Yaccarino affirmed.
She highlighted that X is transitioning from a period of cost reduction to a phase of expansion, with plans to enhance user experiences through features like video calls and payments.
“Though we faced significant hurdles following Musk’s acquisition, including financial constraints and operational adjustments, we are now refocusing on growth,” Yaccarino stated.
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