Clara Hastings
X has quietly removed its dedicated XChat app from both the Apple and Google Play stores, as the company shifts towards integrating more features into the central X app.
According to 9 to 5 Mac, the XChat app was taken down from both app stores late last week. The source confirmed that X made the decision to unlist the app voluntarily rather than facing a suspension.
X introduced its separate X Chat app in April, following several months of beta testing with selected users.
Even at its inception, the launch of a separate chat app appeared to contradict X owner Elon Musk’s vision for an all-in-one “everything app,” which would allow users to engage in various interactions and transactions through a single platform.
The decision to create a standalone XChat could indicate either a recognition of the impracticality of this vision or serve as a demonstration of its enhanced messaging capabilities, now featuring improved security measures including encrypted messaging.
In this context, having a dedicated space for XChat might have been seen as a potential strategy for X to obtain money transmitter licenses in the U.S., which they have struggled to secure in several states. A separate app could have addressed some regulatory concerns, although X has since found an alternative method for processing X Money payments.
In July, X announced a new partnership with Cross River Bank for payment support, now powering X Money accounts.
The removal of the XChat app supports the theory that X initially launched it to gain regulatory approval, and now that X Money is operational, a standalone app is unnecessary, allowing the company to return to its original “everything app” concept.
Regardless of the reasoning, XChat is officially discontinued, with Aaron Perris from MacRumors also noting that references to the app have been eliminated from the X source code.
Mason Thompson
