Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey releases Bitchat app that works without internet

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has launched Bitchat, a new peer-to-peer messaging app designed to work without an internet connection or a centralized server/phone network. Currently, this privacy-focused app is available only on TestFlight for iPhone users.

Key features of Bitchat

• Offline Communication: Bitchat operates entirely over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks. This allows smartphones to form localized clusters and relay encrypted messages from one device to another. Users do not need Wi-Fi or a cellular network to send messages.
• Decentralized Architecture:
  • Unlike traditional messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram) that rely on central servers and require account creation via email or phone number, Bitchat is completely decentralized.
  • There is no central database. Messages are stored entirely on users’ devices.
• Privacy and Security Focused:
  • Messages are end-to-end encrypted (using X25519 key exchange + AES 256 GCM).
  • Messages are deleted after a short period from users’ devices by default, prioritizing user privacy and censorship resistance.
  • No personal identifiers (like phone numbers or email addresses) are required for an account.
  • It includes advanced privacy features like “cover traffic” (sending decoy messages to mask real activity) and an “emergency wipe” function (triple-tapping the app logo to instantly erase all local data).
• Extended Range: While Bluetooth typically has a short range, the mesh networking allows messages to “hop” from one user’s phone to another until they reach their destination, extending the effective range (up to 300 meters or 984 feet).
• Use Cases: Bitchat is particularly useful in situations where network connectivity is down, unreliable, or restricted (e.g., remote areas, crowded events, natural disasters, or during internet blackouts and censorship).
• Current Availability: Currently in beta testing on Apple’s TestFlight, it quickly reached its maximum cap of 10,000 testers. Android support is also planned, as the protocol is designed to be platform-agnostic.