There is growing discontent among users with the way big tech companies like Meta and X have monopolized the social media scene. As a result, new platforms are emerging with the goal of challenging these major tech giants. Just three days ago, Meta was accused of deleting posts containing links to one of Instagram’s rivals, Pixelfed. In a related development, Bluesky added a photo-sharing app named Flashes to its AT Protocol yesterday. This could be good news for users seeking an alternative experience from that of Instagram.
Recently, Instagram users have complained about the odd recommendations and AI content that have become so prominent on the app, wishing for something simpler and cleaner. Bluesky’s Flashes could be the answer to their wishes, as it will allow photo and video sharing without unnecessary complexity and clutter.
Flashes is built on code developed by Sebastian Vogelsang, a Berlin developer. He initially built this code for Skeets, an app for accessing the Bluesky platform on iPads. However, Vogelsang recognized that creating an app for Bluesky users who prefer viewing more visual content over text, would be an excellent idea. Hence, he reconfigured the code to build Flashes. This app will allow users to post up to four images and 1-minute videos, similar to what is available on Instagram.
In addition, since it is integrated into the Bluesky social graph, all posts and comments on Flashes will also appear on the Bluesky main platform. Similarly, Flashes’ users will be able to view activities on Bluesky, but with the text content filtered out. This new app will serve as a visual playground for Bluesky, displaying pictures and videos, much like Instagram does for Meta.
Although Flashes will be similar to Instagram, it will not be a clone of Meta’s app. In a discussion with TechCrunch, Vogelsang revealed that some of the features on Instagram will be absent on Flashes. This is a positive development given the complaints from Instagram users about many of these features. Like Volgelsang’s earlier app, Skeets, Flashes will be free to use, with some premium features available. Vogelsang plans to embed the premium features for both apps so that Skeet premium users can access these features on Flashes. Bluesky currently has about 27.5 million users, which is significantly lower than the number of Instagram users. However, if it keeps growing at a steady pace, this decentralized social media platform shows a promising future. Flashes is set to launch in a few weeks, but a TestFlight beta will be released prior to the launch. Flashes’ official Bluesky account will announce more updates on the app’s launch, so if this excites you, stay tuned.