iWorld
Globally Acclaimed Spy-Thriller Series ‘Killing Eve’ to launch on Hotstar Premium
MUMBAI: With a chase that transverses borders, ‘Killing Eve’ is the story of two women – Eve and Villanelle – who are bound by a mutual obsession that is as fascinating as it is psychotic. The series follows the classic good-cop-chases-villain template but leaves behind the typecast of a spy-thriller by placing two strong women in primary roles. Featuring Sandra Oh and Jodie Cormer as the leads, other cast members include Fiona Shaw, David Haig, Kim Bodnia, Darren Boyd and Sean Delaney. Killing Eve has received worldwide acclaim and has won several accolades including the prestigious Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy Awards.
Based on the novella series Codename Villanelle, Killing Eve is the story of Eve Polastri – an MI6 operative, tasked with capturing psychopathic assassin Villanelle; caught in a cat-and-mouse chase the two develop a mutual obsession with each other as the pursuit progresses.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
