Surf Expands Integration with Bluesky: New Features Announced
Surf, the innovative browsing app developed by Flipboard, is enhancing its capabilities by integrating support for Bluesky’s social network. On Monday, the company unveiled a new beta iteration dubbed “Blue Wave,” which allows users to access their Bluesky feeds directly within the Surf app.
Introducing Blue Wave
This latest version enables users to log in using their Bluesky credentials, providing them access to various feeds, including their following and discover feeds, as well as any custom feeds they have pinned within the Bluesky application.
Enhanced Customization and Connectivity
The integration supports the creation of personalized feeds by leveraging Bluesky’s sources, such as Starter Packs—recommended follower lists designed to assist new users in connecting with others. Additionally, users can utilize Lists and Custom Feeds as sources for content curation.
With these advancements, Surf emerges as a viable alternative to the Bluesky app, allowing interactions with posts through likes, replies, and reposts. Activities on the Bluesky app are also reflected in the Surf environment.
CEO Insights on Social Media Evolution
Mike McCue, CEO of Flipboard, emphasized that Surf offers “seamless access” to content across various networks including Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads. He stated, “It’s the social web coming to life and unifying the social web.” This move is seen as a response to the influx of AI-generated content on centralized social media platforms. McCue remarked, “The AI overrun is just brutal,” advocating for the importance of RSS as a means to filter valuable content from trusted human sources.
Guided Feed Customization
Another notable feature is the setup wizard, which simplifies the process for users to create their own custom home feed. This tool enables the aggregation of feeds from multiple platforms, including both Mastodon and Bluesky, while allowing the filtration of unwanted content—such as political discussions or specific topics like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. This can help users curate a more enjoyable and tailored social media experience.
Versatility in Content Feeds
Surf’s existing strengths lie in its ability to aggregate specialized topical feeds from various open social networks and protocols like RSS. Users can create feeds combining content from different platforms, ensuring they follow individuals and subjects that align with their interests.
Public and Private Feed Options
Currently, all feeds are publicly accessible, allowing others to follow the curated feeds users create. However, McCue indicated plans to provide options for private feeds in the future, giving users the discretion to select which of their feeds can be shared publicly.
Customizing Feed Aesthetics
Users have the flexibility to design their feeds by selecting cover images, background colors, and default display tabs. Feeds can be configured in various layouts—ranging from a traditional social media timeline to more media-focused displays for images, audio, video, or articles.
The Broader Implications
As developers innovate within the Bluesky ecosystem by creating similar apps focused on specific media types, Surf consolidates these functionalities into one application, broadening its users’ experiences without necessitating additional software.
Upcoming Developments
The Surf Blue Wave beta update was first showcased at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, and is currently being rolled out to existing testers. A new set of beta testers will also be welcomed with this update. The company is planning to transition the Surf app from Apple’s TestFlight testing phase to reach a wider audience beyond the 10,000 tester limit imposed by Apple.
Additionally, the company is developing a web version of the Surf app, aiming to broaden its accessibility in the digital landscape.
