Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: X Corp. Tests Standalone X Chat App for iOS Users

March, 04, 2026-04:28

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X Corp. Tests Standalone X Chat App for iOS Users:

X Corp. has begun testing a dedicated version of its private messaging service, X Chat, as a standalone iOS app. The company announced that an initial beta is now available to select early users through TestFlight, Apple’s app testing platform.

Within two hours of the announcement, the beta program reached capacity. According to X posts from xAI product designer Michael Boswell, the company initially opened access to 1,000 users and later expanded the test group to 5,000 participants.

Boswell noted that the standalone app has been under development for several months and encouraged testers to actively use the platform and provide feedback as the company refines the experience.

X Chat is positioned as an enhanced version of X’s existing direct messaging feature and is described by the company as end-to-end encrypted. However, some security researchers have previously raised concerns about the service’s encryption standards, suggesting it may not offer the same level of protection as established encrypted messaging apps such as Signal. It remains unclear whether those concerns have been addressed in the standalone release.

The move marks a strategic pivot from owner Elon Musk’s earlier vision of transforming X into an all-in-one “everything app” combining messaging, payments, and creator services within a single platform.

A small group of early testers has started posting screenshots showcasing the app’s interface. One user pointed out that the beta refers to the service as “xChat” rather than “X Chat,” hinting at a possible rebrand. Shared images also reveal a login screen featuring a starry background design.

Initial feedback suggests the standalone app offers a cleaner and smoother experience compared to using X Chat within the main X platform. However, some features are still under development. Message requests are not yet available in the current build, though the company says the feature is being rebuilt. Verified badges and calling functionality are also in progress.

In response to user inquiries on X, xAI’s Grok chatbot provided additional details. It confirmed that the app will carry the same 17+ age rating as X on the iOS App Store and that conversations will sync seamlessly across the main X app and the web version at chat.x.com, which launched in December 2025.

Grok also indicated that an Android version of the standalone X Chat app is expected to arrive soon.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi