Elon Musk Announces New Features on X, Allows Users Make Calls Without Phone Number

Elon Musk Announces New Features on X, Allows Users Make Calls Without Phone Number

  • Billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk, has continued to make changes to the social media application
  • The latest features give users the chance to make calls and videos without the need for a phone number
  • When introduced, the features would place X in direct competition with WhatsApp, Telegram, and other social media apps offering the same services

Elon Musk has announced that X (formerly known as Twitter) users will soon be able to make video and audio calls to each other without requiring a phone number.

He disclosed this in a tweet posted on his verified X account on Thursday, August 31, 2023.

Elon Musk, X Twitter changes
Elon Musk, since buying Twitter, now X has implemented several changes Photo credit: Nathan Laine
Source: UGC

The billionaire said the video and audio calls coming to X will work on iOS, Android, Mac & PC.

He added that no phone number will be needed, and X will be the effective global address book.

Read also

Social media platform X to offer video, audio calls: Musk

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This means that users probably won’t have to save phone numbers and can call each other by checking their usernames.

Elon Musk wrote:

"Video & audio calls coming to X: Works on iOS, Android, Mac & PC, No phone number needed, X is the effective global address book That set of factors is unique."

X's other features

Since buying Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion, Musk has overhauled the popular social media site.

Some changes include introducing paid verification and planning to remove the blocking feature, except for DMs.

Another update includes making videos on the platform longer and text for verified users.

Also, Elon Musk introduced a payment-sharing method for content creators and social media influencers worldwide.

Legit.ng reported that many of the content creators in Nigeria who have received the payout also took to the microblogging site to show their appreciation to Elon Musk.

Read also

China's Baidu rolls out ChatGPT rival to public

WhatsApp releases channel features for broadcast messages for organisations, businesses

Meanwhile, in another report, WhatsApp and Instagram have rolled out a broadcast-based messaging feature called Channels on WhatsApp, much like the recent update it announced on Instagram as it experiments with giving more conversational avenues to its users.

The company also aims to monetise the feature in the future. Admins' phone numbers won't be visible on the channels.

Channels will appear on the new WhatsApp feature in a new tab called Updates.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Dave Ibemere avatar

Dave Ibemere (Senior Business Editor) Dave Ibemere is a senior business editor at Legit.ng. He is a financial journalist with over a decade of experience in print and online media. He also holds a Master's degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the African Academy for Open-Source Investigation (AAOSI), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other media think tank groups. He previously worked with The Guardian, BusinessDay, and headed the business desk at Ripples Nigeria. Email: dave.ibemere@corp.legit.ng.