Mastodon, the decentralized and open source alternative to Twitter/X is adding a feature to its app that will help make the transition smoother for newcomers: Lists. The company announced that the Mastodon Android app is adding the highly-demanded feature, allowing users to create custom lists around specific topics or interests. An update for iOS is expected to follow, although the company did not commit to a timeline.
Previously, Mastodon users could access only the Lists function through the web, which made it difficult to keep up with topics the same way you did on Twitter, rebranded as of the lists. editing the list itself or from your user profile. But, in typical Mastodon fashion, the latter only worked if the user was on the same server (or "instance" in Mastodon parlance) as their own account.
Other third-party apps, from independent developers and small startups, have stepped in to address the lack of listings on mobile devices. For example, apps like Tusky, Metatext, Ivory, Mammoth, and more now support lists on mobile devices more elegantly. However, Mastodon's own mobile app did not offer access to the listings until now. But mobile development at Mastodon has accelerated since then. Hiring additional developers last year, allowed Mastodon to catch up with Twitter/X. That effort also included a major update released in September designed to make Mastodon easier to use for former Twitter users and an overhauled search.
The company explains that the lists do more than let you select topics related to your interests; They also provide a way to declutter your home feed by limiting some accounts to lists, where you can interact with them "on your own terms." » This could be useful for topics or interests that you only want to track occasionally, rather than seeing it every time you log in.
Mastodon also suggested that more features were in the works for iOS and the web, although it gave no indication as to when Lists would arrive in the App Store version of its mobile app.
The company has remained a potential alternative to X as users look to other platforms to meet their microblogging needs. After being dissatisfied with changes to the app formerly known as Twitter under Elon Musk's ownership, Mastodon has increased its follower count. But he's not the only one benefiting: The chaos on reign of Jack Dorsey.
However, some startups haven't fared so well: the current "resistance" factor for , Spoutible, and others.
Mastodon, however, has remained with around 1,7 million monthly active users as of this month. In early October, the company noted that it had more users than it thought, as a network connectivity error caused it to underestimate its user base. The adjustment included a gain of 2,34 million registered users on 727 additional servers that had not previously been accounted for.
The company is not a traditional startup, operating as a nonprofit organization funded by donations, Patreon subscriptions, government grants, and, most recently, merchandise sales. Despite its small size and team, it has managed to onboard several editors, creators, and users since Musk's acquisition of Twitter, while also gaining integrations from other publishing startups, such as Flipboard and Medium.
