Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, has introduced a new app called Bitchat. This messaging app is unique because it works without the internet, mobile networks, or even phone numbers. Instead, it uses Bluetooth to send and receive messages directly between phones. The app is now available in its testing phase through Apple’s TestFlight.
Dorsey shared the news on July 6, saying that Bitchat is his personal experiment with new technology like Bluetooth mesh networks, encryption, and store-and-forward messaging. This means the app builds a network using nearby phones and allows messages to travel from one device to another—even beyond normal Bluetooth range. If someone is offline, the message waits and is delivered when they connect again.
One of the main goals of Bitchat is privacy. Messages are fully encrypted, don’t go through any central server, and disappear after some time. Users can create private chat rooms that are protected by passwords and sorted by hashtags.
The app will soon include support for Wi-Fi Direct, which will allow faster messaging over longer distances without needing an internet connection.
Bitchat is similar to tools used in past protests where the internet was blocked, showing how this kind of technology can help people communicate freely and securely in tough situations.