iWorld
Netflix releases Bad Boy Billionaires, albeit an episode short
KOLKATA: After months of legal tussles, Netflix has finally released its controversial docu-series Bad Boy Billionaires: India, although with only three episodes.
The Netflix original that dives deep into the stories of India’s most infamous billionaires – liquor mogul Vijay Mallya, fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, Sahara group chief Subrata Roy, and Satyam Computer Services founder B Ramalinga Raju – got embroiled in litigation due to its provocative content.
“This investigative docu-series explores the greed, fraud, and corruption that built up — and ultimately brought down — India’s most infamous tycoons,” Netflix said in the show's synopsis.
The series was originally scheduled to release last month but was delayed following an order from a district court in Bihar, where the Sahara group argued that the show would damage Roy's reputation. According to reports, the injunction was lifted last Saturday.
Currently, episodes based on Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Subrata Roy are streaming. The digital platform, however, held back the episode on B Ramalinga Raju and his Rs 71.36 billion embezzlement scam. Raju and Gitanjali Group owner Mehul Choksi, whose name appears in the series, had also approached courts seeking a stay on the docu-series, claiming that it would affect their trials.
Given the fact that Raju’s case is presently pending in Hyderabad court, it can be said that Netflix wisely chose not to release the episode on him till it gets the legal clean chit.
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.
