Tapestry: A New And Beautiful Timeline App For IOS

Iconfactory, the developers behind the popular Twitter client Twitterrific, have launched a new timeline app called Tapestry on iOS. Tapestry is designed to function as a cross between a social media aggregator and a news reader. This gives users a consolidated view of their feeds from multiple social media platforms, blogs, and podcasts all in one single location.

No algorithmic nonsense

One of the changes many social media platforms have made over the years is the introduction of algorithms to our feeds. Instead of displaying posts in chronological order, these companies use algorithms to display content it thinks matter the most to you. This is based on a variety of factors, such as likes, shares, and comments.

It’s not necessarily bad, but it means giving up control of what you see on your feed. It also means you might end up missing out on certain posts just because Facebook or Instagram thinks you’re not interested in it.

This is actually one of Tapestry’s standout features. The app uses a chronological timeline. This means that posts are displayed in order of publication. Users will see posts based on when they are posted, rather than being sorted by an algorithm. This approach gives users better control of what they are seeing.

This is a stark contrast to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) where algorithmic feeds play a central role.

Tapestry supports feeds from various sources, including social media platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, Reddit, and Tumblr, as well as traditional news sites and blogs. This makes it similar to RSS readers. RSS readers were a popular tool for following blogs in the early days of the internet. Tapestry is the same, except with modern social media elements added to it.

Another feature of Tapestry is the ability to filter content. Users can “mute” specific keywords to remove certain types of content entirely. Alternatively, they can also “muffle” certain posts. Muffling a post causes it to appear smaller in your feed. This helps declutter feeds and prioritize content and updates that you deem as more important.

However, it doesn’t remove it completely so it’s still there just in case you want to take a quick peek.

Almost perfect

For the most part, Tapestry sounds and feels fantastic. We love the colorful and bright design. It makes social media feel less dreary. However, it is not quite the perfect app. One of the main downsides is that Tapestry is a read-only app. This means that users can’t comment, like, or reply to posts directly within the platform.

For instance, if you see a post on X or Bluesky you want to reply or repost, you’ll have to go to those apps individually. If you’re someone who’s very active on social media, this will get annoying fast. However, for social media lurkers who just want to read, it’s perfect.

Another thing to note is that some of Tapestry’s more advanced customization features are locked behind a subscription at $2 per month or $20 per year. This is in line with a lot of apps and services, many of whom have adopted the subscription model over the years. We’re not sure how we feel about having to pay $2 a month just to read social media posts, but if you think it’s worth it, great.

The Tapestry timeline app is available for download but only for iOS. You can download via the Apple App Store.