Elon Musk's New X Chat Feature Aims to Replace Your Phone Number. Here's How to Sign Up

X, formerly known as Twitter, is introducing a new chat feature that allows users to communicate using their X handle instead of a traditional phone number. This move signals a significant shift in how social media platforms can function, potentially blurring the lines between social networking and personal communication tools. The feature aims to provide an alternative to phone number-based messaging apps by leveraging existing user profiles and network connections.

This development is part of X's broader strategy under Elon Musk to transform the platform into an "everything app," a concept that envisions a single application capable of handling a wide range of services. By de-emphasizing phone numbers, X could be attempting to create a more integrated digital identity for its users, offering enhanced privacy for some and a streamlined communication experience. This approach mirrors the ambitions of other tech giants seeking to consolidate user activity within their ecosystems.