Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of Twitter, has launched a new app titled Bitchat, which enables users to send messages without the need for internet connectivity.
In a groundbreaking move, Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, has unveiled Bitchat, a new messaging app designed to operate without the internet. The app, currently in beta, utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks to deliver messages across devices, making it a viable solution for communication in emergencies, remote areas, or during internet shutdowns.
### How Bitchat Functions
Bitchat employs Bluetooth mesh technology, where each device acts as a node in a network, forwarding encrypted messages to other nearby devices. This mesh structure enables messages to hop across multiple devices to reach their recipient, creating a dynamic, self-healing network without any central servers or internet connection.
Messages on Bitchat are stored only on devices and disappear by default, enhancing privacy and avoiding data collection. Unlike traditional messaging apps, Bitchat does not rely on central servers or accounts. Peer-to-peer encrypted communication ensures privacy, although some security experts have noted that the current implementation may lack advanced cryptographic protections.
The app supports a store-and-forward architecture, meaning that if a user is temporarily offline, messages can be cached on nearby devices and delivered once they reconnect to the mesh network. This ensures reliable, asynchronous communication without internet dependence. BLE mesh technology consumes minimal battery power, making Bitchat practical for long use in areas without connectivity.
### Current and Planned Features
Users can create group chats named with hashtags and protect them with passwords for privacy and control. The app plans to incorporate Wi-Fi Direct in a future release to increase the speed and size of the mesh network, potentially improving message delivery and connectivity range beyond Bluetooth’s current limitations.
The app’s source code is publicly available, underlining the commitment to decentralization and transparency, although formal security auditing is still a work in progress.
### Use Cases
Bitchat promises to be a valuable tool in situations where traditional communication networks are disrupted, such as natural disasters, protests, or political censorship. It also enables private, decentralized messaging among communities seeking alternatives to centralized platforms.
In summary, Bitchat is an experimental, privacy-focused, decentralized messaging platform that pioneers offline, mesh-network communication via Bluetooth. It promises resilience against internet outages and censorship, with plans to enhance network performance and security over time. The app's beta version is currently focusing on battery optimisation and reliability.
[1] Bitchat Whitepaper [2] Bitchat Public Beta Invitation [3] Bitchat Official Website [4] Bitchat FAQs
Bitchat leverages Bluetooth mesh technology, transforming smartphones and other gadgets into nodes within a network, enabling messages to be exchanged without an internet connection. This innovative use of technology offers a viable solution for communication during emergencies, remote areas, or internet shutdowns.
Moreover, with a store-and-forward architecture and battery-efficient BLE mesh technology, Bitchat's design emphasizes practicality and autonomy, making it a potential game-changer in circumstances where traditional smartphone communication is disrupted.
