Bluesky will launch its own photo-sharing app called Flashes.
New encouraging news for those looking to leave Meta's social apps ecosystem in search of a more open alternative: an independent developer is creating a...
An independent developer is creating a photo-sharing app called Flashes, designed for the Bluesky platform. This new app, set to launch soon, utilizes the technology of the AT Protocol, the same one that supports Bluesky, and is based on the developer's previous client code for Bluesky, known as Skeets. With the launch of Flashes, there is an expectation to meet the growing demand for alternative applications to social media platforms controlled by large tech corporations.
The trend towards open-source and decentralized applications, like Mastodon and Bluesky, has gained popularity, as well as the recent launch of mobile apps like Pixelfed, which are built on the ActivityPub protocol of Mastodon. Additionally, the shift of TikTok users towards the Chinese app RedNote, in response to a potential TikTok ban in the U.S., indicates a growing interest in using platforms outside of Meta.
Flashes was inspired by the prior work of Sebastian Vogelsang, a developer from Berlin, on the Skeets app, which focused on the needs of iPad users and accessibility features for people with visual impairments. The idea behind Flashes is to attract potential Bluesky users who do not identify as "Twitter users," providing an entry point to the protocol.
It is important to note that Flashes is not intended to be a clone of Instagram, although it will offer similar functionalities. Initially, it will allow posts of up to four images and videos of up to one minute. Furthermore, posts made in Flashes will also appear on Bluesky, where comments will be transferred between the two apps.
The rapid development of Flashes is attributed to the ability to reuse existing code from Skeets. Additionally, the developer plans to integrate features from both applications to prevent users from having to pay twice for premium features like bookmarks, drafts, and enhanced notifications.
Lastly, Vogelsang has plans to launch an additional video-focused application called Blue Screen. Flashes is expected to be available to the public in a few weeks, starting with a beta version on TestFlight.
