Bitchat, a novel messaging app for iPhone users, has been introduced by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, without internet connectivity, reportedly by Hindustan Times. The app quickly hit its 10,000 tester limit via Apple’s TestFlight and is now in beta. Bitchat operates stealthily via Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networks, enabling clusters of nearby smartphones to surreptitiously swap encrypted messages between devices. Messages hop across phones as users move, effectively expanding communication beyond the standard 30-meter Bluetooth range in a novel manner.
Unlike WhatsApp or Telegram, Bitchat relies on a fully decentralized structure driven by its innovative core design. Messages linger on users’ devices briefly and vanish automatically after a short span, preserving privacy. Registration on the app remains fully anonymous and doesn’t require users to provide phone numbers or email addresses.
Bitchat boasts stellar features like rock-solid end-to-end encryption and operates without internet or mobile network. Messages get shared within a mesh network only, and no central server or user database exists.
Currently, the beta version is heavily focused on ramping up battery efficiency and stabilizing relays. Future updates will likely include Wi-Fi-based mesh networking for higher data capacity and support sharing of various multimedia content. Dorsey publicly released the app’s whitepaper and beta invitation recently.
