Elon Musk's 'X' app will be a WeChat-like super app
Elon Musk has a flair for the dramatic. The man spent months trying to get out of buying Twitter, only to do an about-turn and express his desire to acquire it. There are many theories behind why he changed his mind. One of them is ‘X, the everything app.’ Let’s have a look at what this all-encompassing app could be.
Why does this story matter?
Musk wants to buy Twitter for the same price as he offered the first time. And he wants to do it this month itself.
While the world tries to understand his decision, the eccentric billionaire with a love for the letter X (X.com, SpaceX, Model X, X Holdings…) is probably thinking about an app that can change the way the free world functions.
What is the ‘X’ app?
A ‘super app’ capable of doing everything that a user can imagine. An app that can function as a one-stop shop for every digital need of a consumer. Does this vivid description ring a bell? Does it sound like we’re talking about ‘WeChat‘? This is what Musk meant by the ‘X’ app – an app that is more than just an app.
Super app
Musk has been talking about a super app for a while. On the All-In podcast earlier this year, he said, “It’s either convert Twitter to that or start something new. It does need to happen somehow.” His fascination with WeChat was clear during the podcast. He said, “If you’re in China, you kind of live on WeChat.”
About WeChat, Musk said, “It does everything. It’s sort of like Twitter, plus PayPal, plus a whole bunch of things all rolled into one, with a great interface.” He then lamented the lack of something similar outside China. Later, he talked about WeChat to Twitter employees as well. During the conversation, he expressed his desire to make Twitter something like the Chinese app.
Musk wants Twitter to be what WeChat is to the Chinese. When he changed his mind about buying Twitter earlier this week, he said that Twitter could accelerate X by “3 to 5 years.” He wrote, “Twitter is an accelerant to fulfilling the original X.com vision.” Twitter could become a part of Musk’s X vision or could be the place where it starts.
Information
Musk is prepared for the X app. He has already brought back the domain name X.com from PayPal. It was the name of the online bank he co-founded in 1999. Also, the company that is set to buy Twitter is called X Holdings.
Possibilities
For the Chinese, living without WeChat is close to impossible. An entrepreneur like Musk sees the opportunity in being the brain behind something like that outside China. Although he has never said what he wants from the X app, we can assume that it would have everything that will get users to ‘live’ on the app.w
Link: https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/everything-to-know-about-elon-musk-s-x-app/story
Source: https://www.newsbytesapp.com
