Openvibe Expands Functionality: Now Aggregates News Sites and Blogs Alongside Open Social Networks
A groundbreaking development in the realm of social networking apps, Openvibe, is expanding its capabilities to cater to a broader array of interests. By integrating RSS (Really Simple Syndication) support, users can now follow their favorite news sites and blogs within a unified platform, alongside open social networks such as Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, and Nostr.
This addition signifies a significant leap in keeping abreast of pertinent information, eliminating the need for multiple newsreaders, websites, or social networking applications. The new feature places Openvibe in close competition with other content aggregators that track updates across the open web, including Tapestry, Feeeed, Surf, and others.
Openvibe CEO Matej Svancer confirms that RSS support was a long-term goal since the app’s inception last year. However, due to popular demand from users, its development was expedited. To utilize the feature, users can manually add RSS sources, select suggested sites and follow them, or import an OPML file from another news reader. As adoption of RSS increases, Openvibe will introduce a leaderboard showcasing the most added feeds to guide users towards popular sources.
Once added, RSS updates can be tracked in the combined home feed, the dedicated “RSS” feed, or customized feeds created by the user. Although RSS can also be employed for tracking podcasts and YouTube channels, Openvibe currently prioritizes news and blogs, offering a seamless, distraction-free reading experience within the app itself.
The app also features a “Performance Mode” toggle that disables image loading in timeline previews to further optimize resource consumption.
Openvibe has been beta testing RSS functionality with over 100 users who have collectively added over 4,000 feeds. The new feature is now available on both iOS and Android versions of the app, which remains free for download without in-app purchases as of now. However, plans are underway to introduce a subscription offering in the near future.
Openvibe secured initial funding from Czech Founders VC, Tensor Ventures, and Automattic – the parent company to WordPress.com, Tumblr, Beeper, among others.
