X expands audio, video calling to non-premium users
What's the story
X has made its audio and video calling features accessible to all users.
Previously an exclusive benefit for its Premium subscribers, this feature is now available to everyone on the platform.
This exciting update brings the platform closer to Elon Musk's vision of an "everything app," as he has frequently conveyed.
X engineer Enrique Barragan announced the news, mentioning Musk's January promise to expand the feature once it was ready for a wider audience.
Mechanism
How audio/video calling feature works
Users can now manage their audio/video calling options through the Direct Messages settings.
By default, calls can be received from accounts that users follow or have in their address book as long as X has access to it.
To make a call, both the caller and recipient must have previously interacted via messages.
However, users can also choose to receive calls from everyone, but enabling the "Enhanced Call Privacy" setting first is recommended to hide their IP address during calls.
Information
Rollout is happening in batches
The updated calling features are being introduced gradually, likely in batches, and are automatically enabled without any prompts. Users who prefer not to use this feature can easily disable it by going to their Direct Message settings.