Last Updated on September 19, 2024
X’s New Video Conferencing Tool: A New Contender in the Market
Elon Musk’s X is making a significant push to expand its functionality, aiming to compete with established platforms like LinkedIn and PayPal. Now, the company is preparing to challenge Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams with a new video conferencing feature.
Internal Testing and Early Feedback
Last week, X employee Chris Park revealed that the company successfully conducted its first internal conference using the new video tool. Park noted that initial reactions from the team were highly positive, and anticipated improvements include features such as the ability to pin speakers and enhanced notifications for participant activity.
Elon Musk responded to Park’s post with a fire emoji, which serves as an informal endorsement, given that X no longer engages with the press under Musk’s leadership.
New Functionality and Integration
App researcher P4mui shared that the new feature will allow users to create meetings directly from the iOS app, either immediately or by scheduling them for a later time, similar to existing conferencing tools.
Another researcher, Nima Owji, indicated that the tool might offer a feature where hosts can set unique codes for each meeting, which participants will need to enter to join.
The video conferencing tool will appear as a separate option labeled “Conferences” on the right-hand side of the function bar within the X app. It will include full video streaming capabilities once activated. However, the number of participants visible on screen remains unspecified, though it is expected to start with a limitation similar to X’s current video calling feature, which supports fewer participants compared to other apps.
Strategic Vision and Market Challenges
This development aligns with Elon Musk’s broader vision of transforming X into an “everything app,” designed to handle various interactive and transactional needs in one platform. Musk’s ambition includes integrating payments and banking features, although users currently rely on established services for these functions and may be reluctant to switch.
Despite the promising features, X’s new video conferencing option will face challenges in gaining traction. The tool will need to offer clear advantages over existing solutions like Zoom and Google Meet to attract users. For now, it represents a step towards making X a more comprehensive utility, but its success will depend on its ability to offer superior functionality and address current user needs.
The launch of this feature will be closely watched, especially considering past issues with privacy and security in previous X updates. Before the conferencing tool becomes widely available, X must ensure it meets necessary privacy and security standards to gain user trust and adoption.