Elon Musk announced on Sunday that a new version of X’s Direct Messaging (DM) feature, XChat, is being rolled out. This update includes new features such as vanishing messages, encryption, and file-sharing capabilities, as well as support for audio and video calls.
Currently, XChat is in beta testing with a limited group of users, but Musk indicated that the full rollout is expected for all users this week, barring any scaling issues.
In a series of posts on X, Musk explained that the updated XChat is built on Rust with “Bitcoin-style” encryption and a “whole new architecture.” However, the meaning of “Bitcoin-style encryption” is unclear, as Bitcoin itself does not use encryption in the traditional sense, relying instead on public key cryptography.
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This ambiguity has led to speculation about whether Musk is using the term as marketing jargon, misunderstanding encryption, or simply misspeaking, possibly intending to refer to “cryptography” instead.
Musk has expressed a desire for X’s DMs to compete with encrypted platforms like Signal and iMessage. However, labeling XChat as having only “Bitcoin-style encryption” raises questions about its competitiveness in the encrypted messaging space.
Additionally, Musk noted that XChat users can now make audio and video calls without needing a phone number across all platforms.
Ahead of this launch, X announced it would pause work on encrypted DMs, likely to transition to XChat.
Unfortunately for users, the platform has experienced significant instability over the past week, with multiple outages disrupting access to timelines and other features, including XChat.
SOURCE: TECH CRUNCH
