iWorld
Ed Sheeran’s ÷ x tour promises unprecedented musical marvel in India this March
Mumbai: One of the world’s highly-acclaimed music sensations of all time, Ed Sheeran will bring his record-breaking + – = ÷ x Tour to India as part of his Asia and Europe Tour in 2024. BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential division of BookMyShow, will bring Ed Sheeran’s + – = ÷ x Tour to India as promoters for the tour along with AEG Presents. Ed Sheeran returns to Mumbai, India six years after his previous successful outing with the Divide Tour, in 2017.
The India leg of this much-awaited sensational tour will be the final stop in the Asia Tour and will be held at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in the heart of Mumbai on 16 March 2024, with special guests – singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad followed by pop artist Calum Scott to open the show.
That’s not all! In a historic first for the Indian entertainment industry, BookMyShow Live is set to create an unparalleled live experience with a monumental stadium-style set-up at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai for the Indian leg of the Ed Sheeran: + – = ÷ x Tour. The highlight of this extraordinary production is the introduction of a 360-degree circular and revolving stage with a cutting-edge production set-up that will captivate Indian audiences in an experience never witnessed on Indian soil thus far. This iconic feature is in sync with the global + – = ÷ x Tour taking place across the world, redefining the scale of the concert experience for Ed Sheeran’s fans.
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.
