In a significant move, X (formerly known as Twitter) has unveiled plans to incorporate video calling into its platform, envisioning an evolution into an all-encompassing application similar to China’s WeChat.
CEO of X Corp, Linda Yaccarino, revealed to CNBC that users will soon have the capability to engage in video chat calls without the need to divulge their phone numbers to fellow users. Yaccarino also elaborated on upcoming features such as extended video content and creator subscriptions, shedding light on the company’s future intentions in the realm of digital transactions.
Andrea Conway, a designer at X, hinted at the imminent video calling feature with a tweet that read: “Just called someone on X.” Notably, X, under the ownership of Elon Musk, is actively developing a novel function enabling users to categorize posts on profiles.
Just last week, the company unveiled the option for paid subscribers to conceal verification checkmarks on accounts.
Elon Musk, driven by the ambition to transform Twitter into an all-encompassing platform akin to WeChat, declared in October of the previous year, “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.” Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion marked a pivotal moment. He further estimated, “Twitter probably accelerates X by 3 to 5 years, but I could be wrong.” Musk’s aspiration for a super app aligns with his conviction that such an innovation is necessary for the modern world. “It’s either convert Twitter to that, or start something new. It does need to happen somehow,” he emphasized in a podcast. During his initial direct interaction with Twitter employees last year, Musk outlined his vision, which encompassed a transformation towards a fusion of TikTok and WeChat’s functionalities, coupled with allowance for “outrageous comments.”
