X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk has stated that he will soon discontinue his phone number and use solely X for texting and calling.
Although X currently only supports audio/video calling on its mobile app for ‘Premium’ users, Musk’s statement suggests that the company is working on adding a feature that would allow X users to call or text actual phone numbers and not just other X users.
Users can currently only make calls if they follow each other or have exchanged direct messages before.
In a few months, I will discontinue my phone number and only use X for texts and audio/video calls
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2024
According to Musk, he will transition to using only X for calling and texting “in a few months.” However, others are likely not to follow his lead. For starters, if someone wants to get in touch with Musk, they’ll have to first subscribe to X Premium for $10 monthly. Further, not many are likely to discontinue their phone numbers because of other accounts tied to that number.
Let’s not forget about several platforms and their users that still rely on SMS for two-factor authentication.
Additionally, as shared by Nima Owji, an independent app researcher (via Gizmodo), SMS is still used by governments to send emergency alerts to the public, such as weather warnings, Amber alerts, and more, which would deter people from discontinuing their phone numbers.
Musk himself won’t likely get rid of his phone number. Considering he is the world’s richest man and runs several businesses, he needs to have a reliable line where people can contact him. His tweet seems more like a publicity stunt to bring attention to the feature rather than a solution for calling/texting.
Image credit: Reuters
Via: Gizmodo
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