- X is reportedly making changes to its direct messaging functionality. A post by an engineer indicated a major code rewrite is underway, which could lead to the launch of XChat. That service, which Elon Musk has touted, appears to have features that are in both Signal and Facebook Messenger.
Direct messages on the platform formerly known as Twitter could be going away soon.
A post by a software engineer on X seemed to indicate big changes are on the way to DMs.
“The whole entire DM’s will be gone soon,” wrote Zach Warunek on Wednesday. He later clarified that “obviously X would not delete messaging,” and said he meant to say it would rewrite the DM code instead.
The rewrite could be more than just a refresh of the DM page, however. Engadget reports the company could be moving X to a more robust, proprietary messaging system, called XChat.
Musk has discussed this before, writing in February: “In a few months, I will discontinue my phone number and only use X for texts and audio/video calls.” Screenshots of the XChat icon and leaked images—purporting to be of the tool—have also leaked on X.
If the screenshots are legitimate, XChat will have much in common with Facebook Messenger and Signal. It is said to have a PIN verification screen (like Signal) and will be fully encrypted end-to-end.
Other features include the ability to send files, delete messages for either yourself or all people on the thread, and mark a message as “unread.”
XChat is just one of many longer-term changes Musk has envisioned for the social media site. He has also partnered with Visa to launch X Money, which would make the site a competitor to Venmo. Before that happens, however, federal regulators will have to approve the app’s move into the finance space.