In a recent announcement, Elon Musk confirmed the rollout of a new feature dubbed “XChat,” now available to select X Premium subscribers and set to reach all paying users within the week. This development follows its initial discovery during live testing by users last week.
Enhanced Messaging Features
The revamped X direct messaging system is underpinned by a completely new back-end architecture, designed to enhance the platform’s encryption capabilities, which have faced criticism for being somewhat cumbersome. Musk highlighted several key features that XChat will offer:
- Full encryption by default
- Vanishing messages
- The ability to send file attachments
- Audio and video calls without the need for a phone number
According to Musk, the service is constructed using “Rust with (Bitcoin style) encryption,” aiming to provide a heightened level of security for users engaging in direct messaging. However, it’s worth noting that Bitcoin transactions are inherently transparent, as they are recorded on the blockchain, which raises questions about the accuracy of Musk’s comparison.
Despite this, the introduction of XChat signifies a strategic shift for the platform, as it seeks to create new opportunities for users to leverage their messaging capabilities for various purposes. This update may also hint at Musk’s broader vision for integrating messaging with financial transactions, as X continues to develop its payments infrastructure.
The company envisions a future where users can seamlessly transfer money, make purchases, and potentially replace traditional banking services with their X accounts. Musk’s ambition for an “everything app” is contingent upon this integration, with plans to launch the initial version of X Payments later this year.
There are parallels to be drawn with WeChat, which has become an indispensable tool in China for conducting a wide array of transactions through its messaging platform. The question remains whether X can replicate this success in the Western market, where previous attempts to establish a similar all-in-one platform have faltered.
Historically, Western consumers have shown reluctance towards adopting comprehensive platforms akin to WeChat, despite their popularity in China. Nonetheless, Musk’s extensive experience in the payments sector may provide him with unique insights into how to make such a platform more appealing to users.
However, with X’s user base dwindling compared to other social media applications, the feasibility of achieving this ambitious vision remains uncertain. As the updated XChat begins its rollout to all X Premium subscribers this week, barring any “scaling issues,” the industry will be watching closely to see how this new feature unfolds.
