Elon Musk’s X Deploys Audio, Video Calling Option

Tom Jowitt,
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X Twitter logo Image credit X ex

WhatsApp worried? Elon Musk’s ‘everything app’ ambition continues with video, voice calling addition to X (Twitter)

X (aka Twitter) is venturing into the communications arena, after it rolled out an early version of video and audio calling for some users.

The development was confirmed in a tweet by Elon Musk, who has long stated his ambition to turn Twitter into an “everything app” that can offer a range of services similar to Tencent’s WeChat app in China.

The ability of the X app to now make video and audio calls without a telephone number, had first been hinted at by Musk in August, when he tweeted that X was the “effective global address book.”

twitter X logo
Image credit: Elon Musk/X/Twitter

Video, audio calling

Now on Wednesday, X owner and chief technology officer Musk tweeted that Twitter is launching an early version of video and audio calling for some users.

It is not clear at the time of writing, how many users are currently being offered this service, but this author was offered the voice and video calling feature last night on his iOS X app.

Musk in August had said the voice and video calling would be available on Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android and personal computers.

Increased capabilities

Elon Musk is pushing hard to deliver major changes to the platform.

In July he moved to fulfill his long-term ambition to turn Twitter into the everything app, by officially renaming Twitter as X.

Prior to that Musk had changed the name of the Twitter business to X Corp in April, and had said the rebrand “should have been done a long time ago”.

To achieve his ambitions, Musk has undertaken a high number of controversial changes at Twitter. Earlier this year Musk admitted running Twitter has been a painful experience, when he confirmed that 80 percent of its workforce has been terminated since his takeover.

Last week X confirmed it is testing a new program called “Not a Bot”, in which new users in New Zealand and the Philippines will be required to sign up for a $1 annual subscription in order to post and interact with other posts.