Bitchat: The WhatsApp Alternative That Works Without Internet
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Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat : A Messaging App That Works Without Internet!
Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder and CEO of Block, is back with a bold new experiment-Bitchat, a messaging app that ditches the internet altogether. Currently in beta via TestFlight, the app uses Bluetooth mesh networks to allow phones to talk to each other-no Wi-Fi, SIM card, server, or even phone number required.
What Makes Bitchat Different?
Unlike traditional messaging platforms, Bitchat relies on Bluetooth connections between nearby devices. As users move around, their phones form temporary clusters, passing encrypted messages along like digital whispers. This "store-and-forward" model allows a message to reach someone far away without needing a direct connection or the internet.
The result? Messaging that works even in internet blackouts or areas with no signal-ideal for protests, remote regions, or just ultra-private conversations.
Privacy at the Core
Dorsey has built Bitchat with privacy and decentralization in mind. Messages never touch a server, disappear by default, and are stored only on the sender and receiver’s phones. There’s no signup, no email, no phone number, no data mining-a clear break from how apps like WhatsApp or Messenger operate.
Features You’ll Want to Try
A Glimpse Into the Future?
Dorsey says Bitchat started as a personal exploration into Bluetooth tech, encryption, and censorship-resistant networks. But its potential is much bigger: a messaging system that functions without the internet and respects your privacy-something that feels more necessary than ever in today’s data-driven world.
With the whitepaper now live on GitHub and the app in early testing, Bitchat could just be the beginning of a new wave of off-grid, decentralized communication.
Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder and CEO of Block, is back with a bold new experiment-Bitchat, a messaging app that ditches the internet altogether. Currently in beta via TestFlight, the app uses Bluetooth mesh networks to allow phones to talk to each other-no Wi-Fi, SIM card, server, or even phone number required.
What Makes Bitchat Different?
Unlike traditional messaging platforms, Bitchat relies on Bluetooth connections between nearby devices. As users move around, their phones form temporary clusters, passing encrypted messages along like digital whispers. This "store-and-forward" model allows a message to reach someone far away without needing a direct connection or the internet.The result? Messaging that works even in internet blackouts or areas with no signal-ideal for protests, remote regions, or just ultra-private conversations.
Privacy at the Core
Dorsey has built Bitchat with privacy and decentralization in mind. Messages never touch a server, disappear by default, and are stored only on the sender and receiver’s phones. There’s no signup, no email, no phone number, no data mining-a clear break from how apps like WhatsApp or Messenger operate. Features You’ll Want to Try
Bitchat lets users:
- Create private or password-protected chat rooms (called “rooms”).
- Send messages to offline users, which will be delivered once the network reconnects.
- Enjoy fully encrypted, peer-to-peer messaging.
- Soon use Wi-Fi Direct for even longer-range communication.
A Glimpse Into the Future?
Dorsey says Bitchat started as a personal exploration into Bluetooth tech, encryption, and censorship-resistant networks. But its potential is much bigger: a messaging system that functions without the internet and respects your privacy-something that feels more necessary than ever in today’s data-driven world. With the whitepaper now live on GitHub and the app in early testing, Bitchat could just be the beginning of a new wave of off-grid, decentralized communication.
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