iWorld
JioHotstar streams past the billion mark
MUMBAI: Now that’s a blockbuster hit! JioHotstar has officially joined the billion-download club on Google Play, cementing its place as India’s undisputed streaming superstar.
With over 300 million paid subscribers and 500 million monthly active users, the platform continues to set the pace for what the country watches, and how it watches. From cricket thrillers and chart-topping dramas to global premieres, JioHotstar’s formula of smart content curation and seamless tech seems to have struck just the right streaming chord.
This milestone isn’t just about numbers; it’s about how entertainment has evolved into a way of life. By marrying local flavour with cutting-edge innovation, JioHotstar is not merely streaming content, it’s streaming culture, connection and creativity straight into the heart of India’s digital revolution.
As the platform surges ahead, one thing’s certain: in the race for eyeballs, JioHotstar is playing in the premier league.
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.
