Social Magazine integrates Mastodon into its iPhone app and launches the Flipboard.social Mastodon instance
PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Flipboard, the world’s first social magazine, joins the movement toward a new social networking model by invading the Fediverse with two key initiatives. The latest edition of Flipboard for iPhone now includes a beta feature that allows users to visually flip through stories, photos and posts from Mastodon, the most popular Fediverse platform. Additionally, the company has launched its own mastodon instance, Flipboard.social, to provide Flipboard users with an easy way to get started with the Fediverse. The instance is designed to be a safe and welcoming place to experiment and learn with the Flipboard community of curators and enthusiasts. To do this, Flipboard.social first needs an invitation to join.
Now anyone with a Mastodon account can connect it to Flipboard to browse and interact with your Mastodon timelines in a beautiful Flipboard way. In addition, the company has launched its own mastodon instance, Flipboard.social. “What we are launching today marks the beginning of the next phase for Flipboard. We’re experimenting with integrating Mastodon content into Flipboard as we gradually develop our own presence on the Fediverse,” said Mike McCue, co-founder and CEO of Flipboard.
The Fediverse refers to a network of social media servers that support microblogging, blogging, photo sharing, and more. Many of these servers, also known as instances, are interconnected or linked, allowing people on different instances to communicate with each other thanks to the ActivityPub protocol, which links Mastodon servers and many other services in the Fediverse.
“ActivityPub will revolutionize social media in the same way that IMAP disrupted email, allowing people to connect regardless of the email service they use. Walled gardens are ending and the future is federated,” said Mike McCue, co-founder and CEO of Flipboard. “What we are launching today marks the beginning of the next phase for Flipboard. We are experimenting with integrating Mastodon content into Flipboard as we gradually develop our own presence on Fediverse.”
Mastodon content in Flipboard mode
Now Flipboard users can flip through photos and articles shared through Mastodon, and search their favorites, public feeds, and individual accounts, all within the iOS app. Users can also reply, like and promote content within the Flipboard app, and mirror Mastodon stories to their Flipboard Magazines to share with those who follow them. With this addition, Flipboard is transforming the way people discover, search, and share content from Fediverse.
To connect a Mastodon account to Flipboard, users must have the Flipboard iPhone app and go to the Accounts section (by tapping the four squares icon and then the Accounts tab). Articles shared through Mastodon and easily browse more of what these social networks have to offer, including favorites, folders, groups and lists. Users can not only see their Mastodon feed in Flipboard, but also post updates, share articles, magazines and photos from Flipboard to Mastodon.
About Flipboard
Flipboard is the world’s first social magazine, where people are informed and inspired. Flipboard features quality articles, videos, podcasts and enthusiast products recommended by enthusiasts from around the world. It’s a platform where people can spend time on their interests, gain a deeper understanding of problems, and share the best ideas by collecting them in their own Flipboard magazines. Download Flipboard for free from any app store or visit flipboard.com.
SOURCE Flipboard
