Surf, the new app from Flipboard for browsing the open social web, is expanding its support for Bluesky’s social network. On Monday, the company announced a new version of its beta software which allows users to log into the app using their Bluesky credentials and then see all their Bluesky feeds in Surf, including their following feed, discover feed, and any of the custom feeds they’ve pinned in the Bluesky app.

The new integration will also allow users to access other Bluesky sources when building their own custom feeds — like Bluesky’s Starter Packs, which are lists of recommended followers that people build to help new users find connections. Other Bluesky sources, like Lists and Custom Feeds, are also available as sources. With the addition, Surf becomes an alternative to using the Bluesky app itself, as you’re able to interact with posts from Bluesky’s network by liking, replying to, and reposting them, while likes and replies from users on Bluesky’s app also display in Surf.

Seamless Access to Social Web

Flipboard CEO Mike McCue explains that Surf gives you “seamless access” to anyone posting on Bluesky, Mastodon or Threads. “It’s the social web coming to life and unifying the social web,” he says. McCue also sees apps like Surf as a good alternative to centralized social media, which is becoming filled with AI-generated content.

The Surf Blue Wave beta update was first demonstrated at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, and will roll out to existing testers. The company will also be letting in a new wave of beta testers with this release. Surf will later exit Apple’s TestFlight testing platform so the app can reach beyond the limit of 10,000 testers that Apple imposes. The company is also working on bringing the currently iOS-only Surf app to the web.

NEWS FACTORY

Technology