• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, October 27, 2023

After teasing users for some time, Elon Musk has finally announced the rollout of an audio-video calls feature on X. 

Musk tweeted the news yesterday (above), calling the feature an “early version” and including a screen shot of a new “Enable audio and video calling” toggle within X’s settings. 

However, as The Verge points out, Musk has yet to clarify how widely the feature has been rolled out, or whether its use will be limited to paid/Premium X users, as open-source advocate Chris Messina suggested last month, based on a review of the code. 

X is already testing a $1-per-month mandatory fee for all users in New Zealand and the Philippines, and appears to be planning to go global with some kind of payments/fees at some point. 

What, if anything, might the audio-video calling feature mean for advertisers? 

It’s possible that the feature could attract more “real people” to X, which might help drown out the vitriol and heated exchanges among journalists and political pundits, potentially making it a more brand-safe option for advertisers, as well, notes Brian Chevalier-Jordan, CMO of National Business Capital. The feature might be a “reassuring sign that X is moving toward mainstream audiences and away from the negative echo chamber,” he notes. 

But the feature’s adoption level remains to be seen. 

Many apps — including Clubhouse and Facebook Messenger — have added voice/video features that never really took off, Chevalier-Jordan points out.  “Who uses Facebook Messenger  for video or audio calls? No one I know, but it's a feature that's been around for years.” 

He asks, “Why would I use X when I can use over a dozen other apps on my phone to call or communicate with people verbally? And what would it be like if I exchanged angry DMs with a troll and now that person can call me? I suspect these features are added for the power users, not the everyday person.”