X launches XChat, a WhatsApp rival on iOS

Elon Musk’s XChat is hoping to take on WhatsApp and Signal with its own end-to-end encrypted app on iOS and Android. The XChat iOS app, launched on April 24, allows users to use the X direct message service as long as the user has an account. A release date for Android has not however been set.

XChat, soon after its launch, climbed to the top spot on the US App Store, edging out OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude within hours of its iPhone debut.

The app focuses on private communication with end-to-end encryption, no ads, and no tracking. It integrates directly with your existing X account, allowing users to connect instantly without creating a new network.

This release serves as Elon Musk's direct declaration of war against Meta's dominant messaging giants, Messenger and WhatsApp. Focusing entirely on user-to-user communication, XChat strips away the noise of social media feeds to provide a dedicated messaging experience.

The app supports 46 languages and only requires an X account to sign up. This app will help users connect their existing X contacts for calling, chatting, and sharing files. The app is currently available only for iOS users.

Its additional capabilities include:

-          Full message control, allowing users to edit or completely delete messages for all participants in a conversation

-          Disappearing messages for highly sensitive, ephemeral conversations

-          ad-free experience with a strict no-advertising policy

-          zero tracking, with the platform promising no hidden tracking mechanisms.

With a minimalist interface, it will support voice and video calls. The group capacity on this app is approximately 481 people.