Twitter Co-Founder Launches Bluetooth Chat App Rival to WhatsApp – Barlaman Today

Co-founder of Twitter and current CEO of Block, Jack Dorsey, has started a new messaging app that works without the internet, mobile networks, or even user accounts. Called Bitchat, the app allows people to send messages to each other directly using Bluetooth, making it a potential rival to popular services like WhatsApp, especially in areas with limited connectivity or internet censorship. Dorsey launched the app over the weekend, and it’s now available in beta through Apple’s TestFlight platform. According to a technical white paper published on GitHub, Bitchat uses Bluetooth mesh networking. This means that nearby phones, in effect, become a direct local network to send and forward messages. The application works even if users aren’t connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. This allows messages to travel from phone to phone, hopping between users in the area. The messages are fully encrypted, disappear by default, and are stored only on users’ devices, not on any server. There are no phone numbers, usernames, or emails involved, factors 0which significantly enhance user privacy. Dorsey said the app is an experiment in privacy-focused, decentralized communication. His aim is to give people a secure and censorship-resistant way to stay connected, even during internet shutdowns
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