iWorld
JioHotstar sweeps Emmys with 35 plus wins, steals global streaming spotlight
MUMBAI: Hollywood may have handed out the trophies, but JioHotstar pocketed the glory. At the 77th Emmy Awards, the platform’s titles racked up more than 35 wins across categories, cementing its place as India’s biggest gateway to world-class television.
Leading the flock was The Penguin, which waddled off with a hefty 9 trophies, including lead actress in a limited series for Cristin Milioti, outstanding special visual effects, and contemporary makeup. Not far behind, The Pitt struck gold with 5 wins among them Best Drama Series, lead actor (Noah Wyle) and supporting actress (Katherine Lanasa).
The galaxy far, far away stayed close to the winners’ list, with Andor grabbing 5 awards, including outstanding writing for a drama series and fantasy/sci-fi costumes. Comedy didn’t lag either Hacks bagged 3 trophies, with Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder clinching acting honours, while Pee-Wee As Himself also took 3, including Outstanding Directing for a non-fiction program. Beatles nostalgia hit the right note too, with Beatles ’64 winning Sound Mixing.
Other marquee names The Last Of Us, House Of The Dragon, The White Lotus, and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver added to the tally, pushing JioHotstar’s count well past the 35-mark from over 200 nominations.
Celebrating the wins, JioHotstar has even rolled out a glossy coffee table book spotlighting its Emmy haul, underscoring its role as India’s largest hub for Emmy-recognised titles. With its eclectic slate spanning drama, comedy, limited series, anime, kids’ fare and documentaries, the streamer has firmly positioned itself as the bridge between Indian screens and global conversation.
From dragons to detectives, spaceships to stand-up, the message was clear on television’s biggest night when it comes to Emmys, JioHotstar isn’t just in the race, it’s setting the pace.
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.
