Elon Musk has revealed that users will soon be able to make audio and video calls on X, formerly known as Twitter.The call functions won’t need phone numbers to work.

On August 31, 2023, the billionaire tweeted that the new enhancements will be available on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC and wouldn’t need phone numbers to work.

When the functionalities are released, he said, the X app will serve as “the effective global address book.”

The features will put X in direct rivalry with existing audio/video communication apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime, though Musk did not give a date for their release. The audio and video call upgrades might only be available to X Blue users who pay $8 per month, similar to several newly announced features on the site.

The SpaceX inventor has promoted a number of reforms after buying the well-known social media platform for $44 billion late in 2022, including the rebranding from Twitter to X.

Musk has continued to play a significant part in the company’s management as the chief technology officer despite leaving his first position as CEO for Linda Yaccarino in May. He wants to build a mega app with millions of users that offers a wide range of services.

The billionaire’s declaration that the platform would alter how news links are displayed to users was swiftly followed by Thursday’s disclosure. Additionally, he has incorporated well-liked additional features that are only available to X Blue subscribers, including as long-form tweets, longer videos, and creator monetisation.

Some of Musk’s decisions since taking over have also generated controversy, particularly his decision to reinstate the prominent accounts of Donald Trump, a former US president, and Kanye West, an American rapper who had previously been barred for breaking X’s terms of service.

To deal with the “negative cash flow situation” at the corporation, he also let go of about 6,000 X employees.