Jack Dorsey’s Bluetooth messaging app Bitchat now on App Store
Bitchat, a messaging app created by Twitter and Block founder Jack Dorsey, is available to download from the iOS App Store. Dorsey says he coded the basis of the app over the course of a weekend in early July.
Bitchat operates through Bluetooth mesh networks, which means that users can send messages to others within the range of Bluetooth connectivity — usually around 100 meters — without cell reception or a Wi-Fi connection.
The app’s UX is very minimal. There is no log-in system, and you’re immediately brought to an instant messaging box, where you can see what nearby users are saying (if anyone is actually around you and using the app) and set your display name, which can be changed at any time.
While Bitchat is sparking interest due to Dorsey’s reputation, the concept of Bluetooth-powered messaging apps is not new. These apps are also popular in settings like large music festivals, where cell service may be limited, or in the aftermath of natural disasters, where cell service and Wi-Fi availability may be impacted. The Bluetooth messaging app Bridgefy was notably used during pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, since its ability to function without the internet made it harder for authorities to detect.
Dorsey advertised Bitchat as a secure, private messaging platform when it went live for beta use earlier this month. But security researcher Alex Radocea pointed out in a blog post that it’s easy to impersonate other people within Bitchat, calling into question how secure the “vibe-coded” app really is.
“In cryptography, details matter,” Radocea wrote. “A protocol that has the right vibes can have fundamental substance flaws that compromise everything it claims to protect.”
Dorsey later admitted that the software had not been subject to an external security review and thus may contain vulnerabilities.
Bitchat’s concerns around impersonation also extend to the app itself. As of now, the app can be downloaded for iOS via the App Store, or it can be loaded onto an Android device by downloading the app from GitHub. However, the Google Play store hosts multiple apps that appear to be pretending to be Dorsey’s app, which have garnered thousands of downloads.
Dorsey has not directly addressed the fake Bitchat apps on the Google Play store, but he did repost another user’s X post that said that Bitchat is not yet on Google Play, and to “beware of fakes.”
Amanda Silberling is a senior writer at TechCrunch covering the intersection of technology and culture. She has also written for publications like Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast about internet culture, with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos.
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