In the wake of Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, which put an end to third-party clients, a new app from Will Bishop, the developer of Chirp, is launching today. Stomp brings Mastodon’s social network to your Apple Watch, offering a full experience for the watch’s small screen.
What Is Stomp?
Stomp is a comprehensive Mastodon app designed specifically for the Apple Watch. It offers all the major features you’d expect from an iPhone Mastodon app, including:
- Viewing your timeline
- Checking trends
- Accessing lists
- Searching
- Sending messages
The app’s developer, Will Bishop, has been interested in building apps for Apple Watch for years. He previously developed Nano, a micro version of Reddit, and launched his Twitter app Chirp for Apple Watch in 2018.
Why Did Stomp Come to Be?
Last Saturday, Chirp finally shut down as a result of the API changes enacted under Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter, which has since rebranded as ‘X.’ Bishop had a great five-year run with Chirp and is now focusing on building for Mastodon instead.
Other Developers Have Focused on Mastodon Too
Several former Twitter app developers have turned their attention to Mastodon in the wake of Elon Musk’s takeover. Tapbots, for example, gave up on Twitter and launched Ivory for Mastodon users. Fenix’s developer launched Woolly, and the developer of Aviary’s Twitter app created Mammoth.
What Sets Stomp Apart
Stomp gives Mastodon the Chirp treatment, offering a comprehensive experience for the Apple Watch’s small screen. It provides all the major features you’d expect from an iPhone Mastodon app, including the ability to:
- Endlessly scroll your Mastodon timeline
- Like and boost posts
- View images and videos
- Reply to posts directly from the watch
Limitations of Stomp
When you click on links in Stomp, you’re served a notice that explains you’ll be asked to sign in as a workaround for viewing webpages on the Apple Watch. This extra step is required because third-party apps aren’t technically allowed to open links or display web pages.
Pricing and Features
Stomp is available as a free download on the App Store, but not all its features are available for free. Via an in-app purchase, you can opt to upgrade to ‘Stomp Pro,’ which allows you to:
- Create and reply to posts
- Use direct messages
- Access search and lists
Bishop is offering several different ways to pay, including ‘pay what you want’ one-time purchases of $2.99, $5.99, or $9.99, as well as a monthly subscription of $0.99 or an annual subscription of $9.99.
Conclusion
Stomp brings Mastodon’s social network to your Apple Watch, offering a comprehensive experience for the watch’s small screen. While it has some limitations, Stomp is an exciting development in the world of social media and wearable technology.
