iWorld
Skype partners YRF & ErosNow to develop custom Bollywood Mojis
MUMBAI: Skype has partnered with Indian filmed entertainment companies namely Yash Raj Films and Eros International’s over the top (OTT) platform ErosNow to develop custom Bollywood specific mojis for its users.
Mojis are short clips from movies and TV shows that Skype users can put directly into a Skype chat.
In addition to the existing worldwide Mojis content, now users can react to Skype messages with clips from Bollywood movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Ra.One, Dhoom 2, Dhoom 3, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Devdas; and actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya RaiBachchan, Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh.
Yash Raj Films vice president digital Anand Gurani said, “Sometimes when words aren’t enough, a popular film dialogue often fills in. YRF has a rich library of films and content that caters to a wide audience base. The introduction of Skype Mojis is an extremely innovative addition to instant messaging that should get instant traction!”
Eros Digital CEO Rishika Lulla added, “We are delighted to join hands with Skype and tap their massive consumer base in this ever evolving digital landscape. With Eros’ vast film content library, we are equipped to provide the best in entertainment for Skype users on their smart phones, tablets, laptops or any internet-enabled devices.”
Skype has also created new emoticons highlighting some of the food, gestures and daily expressions honouring the Indian culture Bollywood stems from.
“We’re hugely excited about our partnership with Yash Raj Films and Eros International studios to bring more exciting content to our users. Our goal is to provide the best possible messaging experience on Skype, and tapping into India’s extremely active and vibrant film culture is a perfect way to do that,” added Skype corporate vice president Gurdeep Pall.
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.
