Tapbots, the creator of the Mastodon client Ivory, is launching a new app called Phoenix for Bluesky, which has grown to over 32 million users. Despite developing Phoenix, Tapbots reassured users that they remain committed to the fediverse, though development on Ivory will temporarily slow. The new focus comes as the company navigates a split customer base after the rise of alternative social networks post-Twitter's transformation. Tapbots believes that separate apps for Bluesky and Mastodon will enhance user experience and is prepared to support both platforms.
Since Twitter's acquisition by Elon Musk and its transformation into X, many former Twitter users have moved on to other networks, including Mastodon and Bluesky. For an indie operation like Tapbots, that meant its customer base was split between two services, making it harder to generate revenue with just one app. "... For us to continue to thrive as a company, we must support both," Tapbots shared on its website. "Unfortunately, we can't survive on Mastodon alone."
On its site, Tapbots clarified that its work on a Bluesky client doesn't mean it's abandoning its efforts in the fediverse... However, Ivory's development will temporarily slow as the new efforts are underway.
Ivory, which launched in 2023, brought back Tweetbot's look and feel and several of its features to offer an alternative to Mastodon's official social app, an open source, decentralized alternative to larger platforms like X.
The company also explains that it decided to launch a dedicated app for Bluesky users instead of combining the two networks into one app because this would offer users a better experience.
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