Jack Dorsey Launches Bitchat Mesh Chat App for iPhone That Works Without Internet Access

Jack Dorsey launched Bitchat Mesh, a brand new Bluetooth-based messaging app for iPhone, on Monday. The launch of the app comes shortly after the Twitter co-founder unveiled a brand new peer-to-peer (P2P) app that was developed as a weekend undertaking and does not rely on the web, cellphone numbers, or electronic mail addresses to perform. The app additionally helps end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in addition to id verification. It is now out there by way of the App Store, whereas Dorsey has but to announce when Bitchat Mesh will debut on the Play Store.

Bitchat Mesh Uses Noise Protocol Framework for End-to-End Encryption

iPhone customers can now obtain Bitchat Mesh for iPhone by way of the App Store, Dorsey introduced in a submit on X (previously Twitter). The description for the app states that it permits customers to speak with out entry to the web, counting on a Bluetooth mesh community as a substitute. Bitchat Mesh helps direct connections between customers, but it surely additionally relays messages via different friends on the community, permitting customers to speak even when they’re out of Bluetooth vary.

Photo Credit: Jack Dorsey

The new Bitchat Mesh app has a really simplified interface that resembles a chat inside a terminal, much like older text-based Internet Relay Chat (IRC) providers that had been standard many years in the past. It additionally lets customers mark sure customers as favourites, mentioning them, and blocking undesirable contact.

The whitepaper for Bitchat reveals that messages are E2EE protected utilizing the Noise protocol framework. It additionally permits customers to confirm the id of the particular person they’re chatting with by evaluating “fingerprints” of their accounts in particular person or utilizing one other on-line channel, then mark them as “verified”.

It’s additionally value noting that the App Store itemizing for Bitchat Mesh states that the app doesn’t gather any information from the app, and that it really works with out accounts or servers. The app works on iOS 16 and newer variations, whereas smartphones operating Android 8.0+ might be supported.

A safety discover on the Bitchat web site cautions customers that in contrast to native messages, personal (1:1) chats have but to obtain an exterior safety overview and customers ought to chorus from utilizing them for delicate functions. 

iPhone customers can obtain Bitchat Mesh by way of the App Store, however the app has but to reach on the Play Store. Meanwhile, technically inclined customers can go to the official web site, which hyperlinks to APK releases by way of the undertaking’s GitHub web page, to check out the app earlier than it’s launched.