CALIFORNIA (Kashmir English): Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has launched a new messaging app called Bitchat, designed to operate entirely over Bluetooth.
The app will work as a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app, which does not require an internet connection, phone numbers, or central servers.
It is now available in beta on TestFlight, as per CNBC.
Dorsey, known for his push towards decentralization, called the project a personal experiment in Bluetooth mesh networks, encryption models, and store-and-forward communication as he shared the news.
Traditional messaging platforms such as WhatsApp rely on personal data and centralised servers, while Bitchat offers users encrypted, ephemeral communication stored solely on their devices.
The new app creates Bluetooth mesh networks as users move through physical spaces, allowing messages to pass from device to device, even beyond typical Bluetooth range.
Bridge devices can extend the network, enabling communication over larger distances without having Wi-Fi or cell service.
In line with Dorsey’s commitment to privacy and censorship-resistant communication, the messages disappear by default and never touch centralized infrastructure.
‘Bitchat’ features
Bitchat’s features also include group chats, or “rooms,” which can be protected through passwords and named with hashtags.
The app supports “store and forward” functionality, enabling messages to reach users who are temporarily offline.
Future updates will introduce Wi-Fi Direct, expanding the speed and range of the Bluetooth-based network.
The design of the new messaging app, much like the Bluetooth-based apps used during Hong Kong’s 2019 protests, aims to keep users connected during outages, internet shutdowns, or government surveillance, offering a censorship-resistant alternative to mainstream platforms.
