Bluesky, the decentralized project that originated within Twitter, has hit the market Apple App Store as an invite-only social network, as first reported by TechCrunch. The listing also gives us one of our very first glimpses of the app, which closely resembles Twitter right down to the timeline and profile pages.
The project is backed by Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, and has been working for months on an app powered by the open-source social protocol, the Authenticated Transfer Protocol, or “AT Protocol” for short. Bluesky describes it as a “federated social network” where separate networks exist within a single hub.
According to Bluesky, AT Protocol is based on four main ideals: account portability; algorithmic; performance; and interoperability. This framework should allow you to easily transfer your account information to another Bluesky provider and, among other things, give you more control over what you see on a network.
While Bluesky initially made the app available in a private developer beta back in October, it seems the company is willing to expand the test a bit further now that it’s on the App Store. The website offers no details on when the app could become available to the general public or how many testers will be allowed to use the app, but it lets users on a waiting list for access.
The project’s origins within Twitter raised concerns about what would become of Bluesky after the Elon Musk acquisition, as it relied on the social network for funding. Last year, however Bluesky turned around as a separate company, notice that “Independence is important to the success of the project,” Dorsey added to the board.
Judging by the screenshots posted on the App Store that are included in TechCrunch‘s article as part of a hands-on experience, Bluesky looks promising so far, with separate tabs for home, search, and notifications alongside a Twitter-esque “repost” capability. We don’t know when (or if) Bluesky will come to Android, but I hope so. With more Twitter alternatives like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Hive gaining popularity, it almost feels like the golden age of social networking again.
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