Social app Bluesky announced that it is working on new features like direct messaging, video, and personalized feeds. The company went public in February and now claims to have grown from 40,000 to 5.6 million users in one year, according to engadget.
Direct messages are a particularly noteworthy release, as all posts on Bluesky are currently public, but the company's new direct messaging option will be integrated directly into the app. These messages should initially only be available person-to-person, and users can restrict who can communicate. By choosing between open options and only users who are followed.
The company uses an open source framework, but development of direct messages will initially be “off-protocol,” so Bluesky can create them “iteratively.”
Video creation is currently in the works, with Bluesky anticipating the ability to share clips up to 90 seconds long, and the company is exploring a range of ideas for feeds, including a space for popular feeds and their creation within the app.
No release date has been set for any of Bluesky's impending updates yet, but the company expects to roll them all out within the next couple of months. The platform has received special support from Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of Twitter. However, Dorsey recently confirmed that he is no longer a member of Bluesky Board of Directors.