X pre‑orders an encrypted XChat iOS app

X has opened pre-orders for XChat, a standalone iPhone and iPad messaging app that Apple’s App Store lists as arriving on April 17, 2026. (apps.apple.com) The App Store listing names X Corp. as the developer, prices the app at free, and says it will run on iOS 26.0 or later and iPadOS 26.0 or later. (apps.apple.com) Apple’s listing describes XChat as “fully end-to-end encrypted,” “no ads,” and “no tracking,” and says the app is built as a separate space to “chat with anyone on X.” (apps.apple.com) A separate messaging app marks a shift from X’s long-running direct-message inbox inside the main social network. Engadget reported that XChat is positioned as a dedicated app for private conversations rather than just another tab inside X. (engadget.com) That move follows months of work on XChat as a replacement for the platform’s older direct messages. Engadget reported that Elon Musk had discussed an encrypted, rebuilt messaging system in 2025 before this standalone app appeared in Apple’s store. (engadget.com) The early feature list is broader than basic texting. Engadget said XChat will support cross-device calling, message editing and deletion for everyone in a conversation, disappearing messages, screenshot blocking, and group chats of up to 481 members. (engadget.com) The privacy claims come with caveats in Apple’s own disclosure system. The App Store page says the developer’s privacy details “have not been verified by Apple,” and it lists categories of data that may be collected and linked to a user’s identity, including location, contact information, contacts, user content, search history, identifiers, usage data, and diagnostics. (apps.apple.com) X is entering a crowded market where Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, and iMessage already treat private messaging as a standalone habit on phones. XChat’s pre-order page suggests X wants those conversations to happen in its own app, under its own login, instead of inside a social feed. (apps.apple.com; engadget.com) For now, the clearest date is April 17 in Apple’s listing, and the clearest test will be whether X can turn an in-feed messaging feature into an app people install on purpose. (apps.apple.com)