X launches standalone XChat app on iOS, and Elon Musk's 'everything app' dream looks further away than ever

Following early sightings on the App Store, X's standalone messaging client is now available for iOS users. XChat brings many of the messaging features X had already introduced to its direct messaging, including the ability to delete and edit messages, block screenshots, and send disappearing messages. The app also supports video and audio calls and lets users connect with their existing X contacts.

Along with replacing direct messaging in X, XChat is also expected to become the home for groups that formed around X's Communities feature. The company recently announced it would shut down Communities at the end of May, citing low engagement and high spam volumes, and pointed to XChat's group chat support as a potential alternative. Group chats currently support up to 350 participants, with X planning to expand that number down the line.

X claims there are no ads or tracking mechanisms in XChat. The app is built in Rust with Bitcoin-style encryption and includes end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the sender and recipient can access message content. Despite those credentials, security experts who examined the app at launch warned that XChat appeared less secure than established encrypted messaging apps like Signal. Whether xAI has addressed those concerns with the broader release remains to be seen.

That being said, the move is a notable shift from Elon Musk's earlier vision of making X an "everything app," where an algorithmic feed, messaging, job boards, and payments would all coexist in one place. Instead, xAI, Musk's AI company that now owns X, appears to be building out a suite of separate apps to create more consumer touchpoints across its services.

X lead designer Benji Taylor has teased that the app is "just the beginning of what we're building for messaging," so there is clearly more to come. Android availability is the obvious next step, though breaking into an ecosystem where WhatsApp already has a strong hold will be a different challenge entirely.