Bluesky is testing ‘live’ features to take on X

Bluesky says it’s planning to make the app feel more “live” this year as part of ongoing efforts to build a competent rival to Elon Musk’s X platform. Announcing Bluesky’s 2026 development roadmap, product head Alex Benzer said the platform is working to make feeds more interactive and timely during live events, alongside teasing improvements to posting and follow suggestions. “We’re exploring new features and interactions within feeds that make them feel less like just scrolling through posts and more like hanging out,” said Benzer. “We’re also working on making the app feel more ‘live’ in general. We’re taking an experimental approach, so I don’t want to over-promise on specifics, but expect to see us continue exploring real-time and event-focused features this year.” The announcement also highlights improvements to basic features that need to be made, such as adding support for drafts, longer videos, faster video uploads, and better suggestions for “who to follow.” Bluesky doesn’t explicitly say it’ll address these issues this year, but the implication is there, acknowledging that “the basics need to be solid” to ensure users stick with the platform. A dedicated team is also being put together to manage Bluesky’s Discover feed, and topic tags are being explored to make it easier for users to find relevant posts and interests. With around 1.5 million daily active users, Bluesky has a long way to go before it catches up to recent estimates for Threads (150 million daily users) and X (more than 270 million). Focusing on building for “live moments” is Bluesky’s latest push to position itself as a refuge for X users who miss what Twitter used to be before its controversial transformation under Musk’s ownership. “We need more sense-making these days. We miss having fun on the internet,” said Benzer. “Bluesky is one of vanishingly few public networks where you can do both without feeling trapped in an extractive propaganda machine owned by a billionaire.”