X launches standalone XChat app on iOS

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TLDR

  • X released XChat, a standalone iOS messaging app, publicly on Friday with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls.

Key Facts

  • XChat supports messaging, file sharing, audio/video calls, group chats, disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking.
  • X claims no ads or tracking, with end-to-end encryption and PIN protection, though security experts have previously disputed those encryption claims.
  • X is shutting down its Communities feature due to spam and low use, redirecting those users to XChat.
  • X lead designer Benji Taylor described the launch as “just the beginning of what we’re building for messaging.”

Why It Matters

  • XChat marks a shift from Musk’s “everything app” vision toward a suite of separate consumer apps.
  • Security experts who flagged concerns during beta testing will need to re-evaluate the public release.

Sarah Perez, TechCrunch · 2026-04-24 · Read the original