Summary: Bluesky version 1.100 introduces emoji reactions in direct messages, and completely changes the Search page. The page is now called Explore and shows trending topics and suggested accounts to follow.
Bluesky has been steadily working on its features to become a viable alternative to X. With the latest version 1.100 Bluesky is changing the search page, and introducing emoji reactions in DMs.
The revamped search function was long overdue, bringing it more in line with the market leader, X (formerly Twitter). Bluesky’s main draw is that it offers the experience of classic Twitter before Elon Musk bought the company.
As Musk continues to get into new controversies, users are deserting his platform in droves, creating a rare opportunity for Bluesky. And considering the pace of updates and continuous improvements, the app is determined to make the best of it.
Search is now Explore
Bluesky’s search function was a bit simplistic. You could search for specific topics, of course, but it wasn’t that great at suggesting things.
Last year the app added trending topics, letting users quickly see the hot-button discussions on the platform. And with this new update, Bluesky is transforming it further into an Explore page. The emoji reactions in Bluesky chat are separate from this.
Just like Twitter, you are now shown trending topics and suggested accounts to follow based on your interests. Bluesky had already added a separate feed for vertical videos, so the explore page focuses on other types of content.
Emojis in chat
As Bluesky targets other platforms like Instagram as well, it is polishing its chat feature. Being able to react with emojis in a chat is the standard these days, and it has been missing from the app so far.
Finally, Bluesky will let you use emoji reactions in direct messages, making it more comfortable as a messaging app too. Along with its AI protections, Bluesky is now a great alternative to most big-ticket social media apps out there.
The ability to opt out of AI training is behind Bluesky’s recent rise in popularity. Platforms like Twitter are building their own AI models that train on all user data, which is a major breach of privacy.
Is Bluesky going to dethrone X?
Being able to send emoji reactions in Bluesky is not enough to let the app push out X from the market. That being said, these continuous changes are adding up to a much more user-friendly platform.
Whether this is enough to make it the most popular app in this space remains to be seen. One thing is for certain: X now has serious competition from Bluesky.
2025-04-12 15:06:20