In a move that could shake up the video conferencing market, X (formerly Twitter) is reportedly testing a new video conferencing tool. This development adds another dimension to Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for the platform, which already aims to compete with LinkedIn for job listings and PayPal for payments.
Internal Testing Underway
Chris Park, an X employee, revealed last week that the company had conducted its first internal conference using the new tool. Park reported strong initial feedback from the team and mentioned that the company is likely to work on features such as:
- The ability to pin speakers
- Improved notifications for participants joining or leaving
Elon Musk responded to Park’s post with a fire emoji, which, given X’s current approach to press inquiries under Musk’s leadership, serves as the closest thing to official confirmation.
Features and Functionality
App researchers have uncovered some potential features of the new tool:
- @P4mui demonstrated that users might be able to create new meetings directly from the iOS app, either instantly or scheduled for later, similar to other online conferencing tools.
- @nima_owji pointed out that the conference feature may allow hosts to set a unique code for each meeting that participants have to enter while joining.
Integration with Existing Features
X already allows live video streaming through its Spaces product. It’s possible that X might merge the new video conferencing tool with Spaces, offering a hybrid solution similar to Zoom and Google Meet, which allow users to switch between video conferencing and seminar-style streaming.
Privacy and Security Concerns
Given X’s history with feature launches, particularly the calling feature earlier this year, there are concerns about privacy and security. The calling feature was turned on by default for all users and lacked default IP address masking protection. It’s crucial that X addresses these issues before making the conference feature widely available.
Release Date Unknown
As with many feature teases on Musk-owned platforms, there is no clear release date or rollout plan for the conference function yet. Users and industry watchers will be keeping a close eye on developments in this space.
This move by X represents another step in its evolution from a microblogging platform to a multi-functional communication and business tool. As the company continues to expand its offerings, it will be interesting to see how it competes with established players in various markets.
