Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has introduced a revolutionary messaging app called Bitchat, designed for communication without an internet connection. The app is currently in beta and available only to iPhone users through Apple’s TestFlight platform. It offers a decentralised, privacy-first approach to messaging, unlike WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram.
How Bitchat Works
Bitchat runs entirely on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking. Phones connect with other nearby devices within a 30-metre range, forming a peer-to-peer Bluetooth cluster. As users move, their devices act as relays, passing messages forward to new clusters—allowing communication over longer distances without Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Messages are end-to-end encrypted, and there’s no central server storing any data. Messages are automatically deleted after a short time, and all information is stored only on users’ devices, enhancing privacy and ensuring censorship resistance.
No Registration, No Servers, No Internet
Unlike traditional messaging apps, Bitchat does not require users to register with a phone number or email. The app doesn’t rely on the internet in any form—not even Wi-Fi. This makes it useful in internet-restricted areas, natural disasters, or situations with no connectivity.
The absence of registration and the automatic deletion of messages support anonymous and temporary communication, useful for activists, journalists, or anyone seeking higher levels of digital privacy.
Current Availability and Future Plans
Bitchat’s beta version was released on Apple TestFlight, and it hit its 10,000-user cap almost immediately. The beta phase is focused on improving battery efficiency and message relay stability.
Jack Dorsey has made the whitepaper and beta invite publicly accessible. Future versions are expected to include Wi-Fi support, which will allow richer content sharing like photos and videos, while still maintaining decentralisation and encryption.
The developers also plan to bring Bitchat to more platforms after testing and feedback.
