X will launch XChat for iPhone and iPad: encrypted messages, calls, and document sharing on April 17th

XChat – a new app from X (formerly Twitter)

*Release date:* April 17

*Platforms:* iPhone and iPad (Android not yet available)

*Target audience:* only X users

What does XChat promise?
- End‑to‑end encryption – messages are visible only to chat participants.
- Voice and video calls without ads.
- Ability to send documents, create group chats, edit and delete already sent messages.
- Apple claims no user tracking.

Appearance
Screenshots from X show a minimalist design: the focus is on active chats in a “closed, focused space” created specifically for communication. This confirms Apple’s press release that the app will be simple and convenient.

User criticism
Some X participants noted a mismatch between the stated privacy and how the service handles data:

- The service correlates information with specific users: location, contact list, search history, personal page data.
- This raises concerns that privacy protection may be only superficial.

Context
At the beginning of the month Elon Musk criticized WhatsApp’s privacy policy, but the service itself did not agree with those accusations.

Future of XChat
It is still unknown whether XChat can gather an audience comparable to WhatsApp and Signal. Unlike these messengers, XChat requires an X account but does not create a separate communication platform. This could be both an advantage (integration with an existing network) and a barrier to widespread adoption.