Openvibe: Unifying the Open Social Web
In the wake of Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022, the popularity of decentralized social networking platforms has soared. However, navigating the fragmented landscape of these platforms has proven challenging. Enter Openvibe, a new app aiming to address this issue by providing a single interface for users to connect with friends and followers across Mastodon, Nostr, Bluesky, and soon Threads. With Openvibe, users can also cross-post to multiple networks simultaneously.
Openvibe’s mission is to serve as a user-friendly gateway to the open social web, making it accessible to new users. CEO Matej Svancer and his team originally started working on a Twitter client called Tweetoshi but shifted their focus to the open social web after many early adopters made the switch. Their previous work on Plebstr, a Nostr-powered app, has now merged into Openvibe.
The catalyst for creating Openvibe was the frustration expressed by users about the lack of interoperability between different open social protocols. Svancer himself experienced this problem firsthand and decided to provide a solution. Unlike existing bridges that require additional servers, mirror accounts, or opt-in options, Openvibe offers a seamless experience that connects existing accounts. By removing these barriers, Openvibe aims to attract new users and unite the open social space to challenge legacy social media platforms.
Image Credits: Openvibe
Openvibe addresses a growing demand for tools that help users navigate the fractured social web, where startups and projects are taking on tech giants. Mastodon, an open-source project powered by the ActivityPub protocol, competes with Bluesky, a startup with 6 million users built on the AT Protocol. Additionally, Nostr, a decentralized social protocol favored by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, offers an alternative to centralized platforms.
While smaller startups like Spoutible and Spill have attempted to compete with Twitter/X, some earlier efforts like Post and T2/Pebble have already failed. Despite this, the space is heating up, evident in the recent launch of noplace, a Twitter and MySpace mashup targeting Gen Z.
Meta, recognizing the direction of the social web, embraced ActivityPub for its newest social network, Threads. This move further emphasizes the importance of interoperability in the open social space.
To help users manage the abundance of choice, aggregation tools that combine social feeds with news sources, such as RSS feeds, have emerged. The Iconfactory, former developer of Twitter client Twitterrific, is working on Tapestry, an app to simplify this process. Silvio Rizzi, the developer of newsreader app Reeder, is also creating a replacement that includes social sources.
Amidst potential competition, Openvibe stands out as a straightforward aggregator for the open social web. To use the app, users log in to their existing accounts on supported networks and instantly follow all their friends in a combined timeline. The app also offers a combined trending section and cross-posting support.
Image Credits: Openvibe
Openvibe is currently available as a free app on iOS and Android, with plans to explore a desktop version in the future. The startup, comprising Svancer, two developers, and one designer, has secured funding from angel investors and attended the NYC accelerator Wolf. While Openvibe plans to introduce a subscription plan for revenue generation, its primary focus is providing a seamless and user-friendly experience for those embracing the open social web.
