Twitter-adjacent Bluesky app hits Apple store

Bluesky, a decentralized societal media app tied to Twitter’s pre-Elon Musk leadership, has gone unrecorded connected Apple’s App Store arsenic of March 1.

Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey archetypal announced the Bluesky task successful 2019. A erstwhile Zcash contributor, Jay Graber joined the task arsenic CEO successful 2021.

Though anyone tin download the app, Bluesky is presently successful backstage beta, and users indispensable participate an invitation codification to usage it. Recent statements from Graber suggest that further invitation codes are disposable to those who interaction her arsenic of Wednesday.

The app is not disposable for Android oregon the web.

Bluesky has nary cryptocurrency-related features and does not store information connected a blockchain. However, the level uses the AT Protocol ⁠— a federated web that relies connected cryptography to store information successful a decentralized way. This attack makes it akin to blockchain technology, allowing self-ownership of data.

Graber additionally noted last October that the benignant of cryptography that the AT Protocol relies connected is comparatively casual to integrate with cryptocurrency.

Bluesky whitethorn beryllium arriving astatine an opportune time. Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter has encouraged immoderate users to permission the tract and determination to decentralized alternatives specified arsenic the federated web Mastodon. However, that inclination whitethorn beryllium dying down: Mastodon saw its user count autumn from 2.5 cardinal to 1.4 cardinal successful January contempt gaining astir users during the Twitter exodus — an ominous motion for Bluesky’s competing product.

Various different decentralized and blockchain societal networks person besides gone unrecorded successful caller months. Nostr launched Damus connected Feb. 1, portion Emurgo launched its Cardano-focused web Spot connected Feb. 16. Lens Protocol, with links to Aave, went unrecorded successful mid-2022.

The station Twitter-adjacent Bluesky app hits Apple store appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.