X launches its standalone messaging app XChat on the App Store, saying it supports end-to-end encryption and has no ads

X just carved its messaging feature into its own app. XChat is now live on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, positioning itself as a standalone communication tool separate from the main X platform.

The big selling points: end-to-end encryption and no advertisements. That's a notable pitch in a messaging landscape where privacy claims are table stakes but ad-free promises are rarer.

The move follows a familiar playbook. Meta spun Messenger out of Facebook years ago. Now X is doing the same with its DMs, betting that a dedicated app can better compete with the likes of iMessage, WhatsApp, and Signal.

Whether users actually want another messaging app on their home screen is the real question. But X is clearly signaling that messaging is no longer a side feature — it's a standalone product line.