iWorld
Hotstar pulls down Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul’s ‘Koffee with Karan’ episode
MUMBAI: Koffee with Karan season 6’s latest episode, which featured Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul was the most talked about episode on social media. The duo has not just been criticised on social media but has also displeased the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) by making sexist remarks on the show.
The episode was aired last Sunday on Star World and was available on Star’s OTT platform Hotstar. However, currently all the other episodes of Koffee with Karan are available except for the one that featured Pandya and Rahul.
The cricketers have now been served with a notice, where they have to give an explanation and based on the explanation, they might be banned from playing cricket. CoA member Diana Edulji has already sought legal opinion and will be talking to BCCI top brass over the possible ban.
After receiving the notice, Pandya apologised tweeting, "After reflecting on my comments on Koffee with Karan, I would like to apologise to everyone concerned who I may have hurt in any way. Honestly, I got a bit carried away with the nature of the show. In no way did I mean to disrespect or hurt anyone's sentiments. Respect." Rahul hasn’t given any public statement with regard to his involvement in the show
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.
