X: Video calls are coming to X, confirms CEO Linda Yaccarino

Soon after taking over X (formerly X), Elon Musk announced that he wants to make the platform an “everything app.” In line with that vision, the company has brought a number of features, including the ability to read/ post long texts and watch hour long videos. The company is now adding another one: video calls.

“Soon you’ll be able to make video chat calls without having to give your phone number to anyone on the platform,” the company CEO Linda Yaccarino said during an interview with CNBC, while talking about other features like creator subscriptions and payments.
Her confirmation comes a day after X designer Andrea Conway posted, “just called someone on X,” followed by four head-exploding emoji. At that time, it wasn’t clear what she was referring to: voice calls or video calls or both.

What its means for WhatsApp
Meta-owned WhatsApp will have a direct competitor as X will allow sharing of videos, payments, DMs, microblogging, support for sharing videos and photos, among others. Meanwhile, Meta recently launched Threads to take on X and has seen a drastic decline in monthly active users after 100 million sign ups within a few days after debut.
Yaccarino’s role at X
Yaccarino also said that she has ‘autonomy’ under Musk and noted that while the SpaceX CEO controls product and development, her role was “everything else” involved in “running the company.”
Recently, the company made some changes in the top leadership and the way how the company will work. A report claimed that Musk and Yaccarino will oversee the trust and safety team. While Musk will see X’s product and engineering team and Yaccarino will oversee all other divisions, including human resources, legal, finance, sales and operations.
The company has also been searching for a new leader for brand safety and suitability. Its previous head of brand safety, A J Brown, who worked on efforts to prevent advertisements from appearing next to unsuitable content, quit in June.