Bluesky is expanding its social network's capabilities for photo sharing through a significant update to its mobile application. On Wednesday, the company announced the release of version 1.121, which focuses on improving image quality and post rendering.
According to TechCrunch, the update doubles the maximum allowable upload size for photos. Previously, the platform restricted uploads to 1MB, but the new limit has been increased to 2MB.
Resolution capabilities have also seen a substantial upgrade. Photos will now render at up to 4000px, a significant increase from the previous 2000px limit.
New carousel interface
The update replaces the platform's previous image grid with a new swipeable carousel feature. This new interface allows the app to handle mixed aspect ratios without the need for cropping.
However, the transition has met with some resistance from the user base. Early feedback from Bluesky users indicates a preference for having the choice between the original grid layout and the new carousel.
Competitive landscape
These technical adjustments aim to make Bluesky more competitive against established rivals such as X and Meta’s Threads. Threads established a reputation as a showcase for high-quality photography due to its support for various aspect ratios and specialized carousel mechanics.
Threads' unique ability to split larger photos for viewing even prompted a developer to create a standalone application for posting panoramic photos to the service. While Threads currently supports a larger maximum image size than Bluesky's new 2MB limit, the specific maximums for Threads are not published in the platform's official documentation.
