The FlaShes application, similar to Instagram, has become available for beta testing

An independent developer created on the basis of a technology that underlies the Bluesky platform, an application for the exchange of photographs called Flaches. The application in its capabilities is an alternative to Instagram✴ and is already available for public testing on iOS.

Image source: Yohan Marion / Unsplash

Flashes supports the publication of up to four images and videos up to one minute, and also allows you to send personal messages. The developer of this application, Sebastian Vogelsang, said that in the future functions such as push notifications, support for several accounts, bookmarks, editing images and support Stories will be added. Also, users will be able to publish images on Flashes and Bluesky at the same time, reports PCMAG.

At the moment, the application is available for downloading on iOS through the Apple Testflight test platform. However, as Vogelzing noted, users may encounter some technical problems that are already actively solved together with Apple engineers.

It is interesting that the appearance of Flashes coincided with the moment when the Bluesky social network has reached a new line of 31 million users, continuing to gain popularity against the background of scandals around the X platform (previously Twitter) and outflow of users. In 2024, the Bluesky audience increased nine times, and the platform itself added a new function that allows users to receive answers only from those to whom they are signed. Meta✴, in turn, following the example of Bluesky introduces similar functions in its Threads application.