iWorld
Tata Sky Binge+ partners with India Film Project
KOLKATA: Tata Sky’s OTT + TV aggregator service Binge+ and India Film Project, Asia’s largest content fest, have entered into a strategic partnership with an objective to engage meaningfully and curate a series of content-driven virtual sessions celebrating the contribution of content creators in the digital space.
India Film Project, since its inception in 2011, has put in efforts to build a community of content creators across the varying forms of art. Tata Sky, India’s leading content distribution and pay TV platform entered actively into the OTT platform aggregation space through its pioneering service, Tata Sky Binge last year and with Tata Sky Binge+ this year, it has brought both OTT and live TV together under one service.
This partnership is a continuation of the effort towards making content platform agnostic and democratising its reach. Through this collaboration, Tata Sky Binge+ and India Film Project aims to spark meaningful conversations around the digital ecosystem and felicitate the journey of creators who have helped in the growth of Indian content.
Commenting on the association, Tata Sky chief communications officer Anurag Kumar said, “Tata Sky as a brand has always believed that content is king regardless of the platform it is been showcased on and understands the increasing demand of digital content. Tata Sky Binge+ service is our step towards making the best of content across mediums available for our customers on a single platform. We are glad to be associated with India Film Project who have been at the forefront of discovering new content creators, valuing and showcasing their creation for the world to see. Through this partnership, we are furthering our individual brand promise to drive synergies towards appreciating the contribution of content creators in digital space.”
Commenting on the association, India Film Project festival director Ritam Bhatnagar said, “At IFP, we witness the celebration of some of the best content created across the world. Within IFP’s creator community, we noticed a need for creators to watch content that transcends not just geographical boundaries but also the limitations of switching between app subscriptions. The partnership will enable our community to explore a world not limited by subscriptions but sheer love for content.”
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.
