Instagram Alternative Flashs released its Bluesky-based photo sharing app on the App Store this week, winning nearly 30,000 downloads in its first 24 hours. The app offers a classic Instagram-like experience, allowing users to upload up to four photos and videos for up to one minute.
Built by Berlin-based developer Sebastian Vogelsang, Flashes runs on the same underlying protocol that enhances the AT protocol (or Atproto for short).
It is based on Bluesky, a social networking startup with more than 32 million users, so Flashes has access to a built-in audience. This means that all posts you create in the Flashes app are compatible with Bluesky. This means you can reach more audiences beyond what you use the Flashes app itself.
Flash is similar to Instagram in some respects, but is more customizable.
Instead of being trapped in the company’s production algorithms, Flash-On people have access to over 50,000 custom feeds from Bluesky that allow people to curate the content of the network they want. Additionally, the app offers built-in feeds for both top and latest posts across Bluesky’s network.
Other features are designed to cater to photographers looking to showcase their work.
Portfolio Mode allows you to curate your profile, for example, by selecting which media will be visible to visitors. That way, you can showcase your best photos in advance when people visit your profile.
Posts created with the Flash itself can be edited using the built-in photo filters, just like Instagram.
Another new feature focuses on curated feeds from artists.
Flashes has launched this recent update with images from the Blacksky community. (Blacksky builds Blueky Tools for the Blackky Community, including Blacksky Feeds, its own moderation service and other technical features.)
Vogelsang says he has been having conversations with investors about fundraising and is open to opportunities. The app had reached 40,500 downloads as of Thursday, one of several new initiatives built on top of the Bluesky platform.
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