Bluesky saw an impressive boom in user numbers throughout 2024, becoming a go-to destination for people moving away from X, the rebranded name for Twitter. This year alone, 22.9 million new members signed up with Bluesky, and notably, over 13 million of them hopped on board within the last six weeks alone.
The details of this explosive growth are laid out in Bluesky’s "2024 in Review" blog post, published just before the year wrapped up. That post celebrates some key achievements. Among the highlights was the shift from being an invite-only service to opening its doors to everyone. Bluesky noted, "At our initial launch, the platform had about 3 million early adopters. Just a week later, we saw over a million more new sign-ups."
This year also marked an important milestone for Bluesky as they successfully met their target to implement federation. This breakthrough allows users to manage their personal data servers, reducing dependence on Bluesky’s infrastructure.
Just a year back, Bluesky offered only the basics. Fast forward to now, and the platform has introduced hashtags, direct messaging, video sharing, and trending topics. Incorporating these standard features was crucial for positioning Bluesky as a credible rival to major platforms like X.
In 2024, Bluesky also rolled out support for starter packs. This unique feature lets users compile a list of accounts to follow. For instance, Windows Central has curated a starter pack featuring all their staff members present on Bluesky.
As users seek alternatives to X, Instagram, and Facebook due to concerns over toxicity, Bluesky has become an attractive option, drawing in millions. There’s even been a rise in third-party Bluesky apps for Windows 11, such as Beeskie and DarkSky, and a deck.blue site that offers an interface similar to TweetDeck.
Here’s the rundown of the exciting new features Bluesky introduced in 2024:
Bluesky 2024 Updates: Big Features
- Hashtags: We introduced hashtags to streamline content discovery.
- Direct Messages: DMs launched in May, opening new lines of communication.
- Starter Packs: Debuted in June to help communities transition to Bluesky more smoothly.
- Video Sharing: Came out in September.
- Trending Topics: Rolled out in December, just in time for the holidays.
Bluesky 2024 Updates: Small Features
- Account Deactivation: Available from June.
- Priority Notifications: Began in July.
- Self-Moderation Tools: Features like detach quotes and hide replies arrived in August.
- Pinned Posts: Made their debut in October.
- Thread Composer: Arrived in November.
Bluesky is clearly not slowing down as it continues to evolve and expand its capabilities, making it increasingly appealing to users in search of a fresh and less toxic social media experience.
