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After a sudden rebrand, Twitter isnow called X. This new name was previously discussed by Elon Musk, who strongly associates the “X” brand with Twitter’s future as an “everything” app. But what is an “everything” app, and how will X become one?
What Is an “Everything” App?
Elon Musk hasn’t explicitly defined his vision of an “everything” app. He’s made several suggestions for how Twitter (now X) may become an “everything” app, including an integrated money-transfer system. But that’s about the extent of what we know.
However, during the early days of the Twitter acquisition, Elon Musk repeatedly discussed WeChat—a “super app” that enjoys an outrageous amount of popularity in China (where it’s called Weixin). The term “everything app” appears to be Musk’s version of “super app,” so we can look at WeChat as an example of X’s future.
WeChat begin as a basic messaging and social media platform before expanding its reach into money transfer. Shortly afterward, it added language translation, ride-sharing, andother servicesto its portfolio. The platform even features a selection of “mini programs,” which are optional services that users can add to WeChat.
As Musk explains, people “basically live on WeChat in China.” It’s an amazing example of the attention economy, which encourages apps and websites to retain viewership by offering several services (and squeezing out the competition). But there is no equivalent to WeChat in the United States. The closest comparison would be Facebook, or perhaps Apple’s iOS (which isn’t an app, obviously).
Elon Musk appears to be following WeChat’s trajectory. One of his immediate goals is to add money-transfer services to X—the exact move that WeChat made before branching into other areas. This isn’t to say that Elon Musk is copying WeChat, as he may simply see money transfer as the key to making X profitable and pursuing additional services. (Not to mention, it was anobsessive point of conversationbetween Musk and the Twitter board during the acquisition.)
We don’t know what services X will introduce in the future. Presumably, things like ride-sharing and language translation are off the table, as these services are already well-established (and practically monopolized) by other companies in the United States. Musk and the X team will need to find openings in other, more easy-to-disrupt businesses.
When Did Musk Start Planning an “Everything” App?
The “X.com” domain has a long history. It was originally the name of Musk’s online banking service, which was quite innovative for its time. But “X.com” was acquired by Confinity, folded into PayPal, and quickly swept under the rug. (This comes as no surprise. An online banking system named “X.com” is practically hand-crafted for porn jokes, and it was the subject of such jokes during its time.)
Musk reacquired the “X.com” domain in 2017, stating that it held some “sentimental value.” But he did not share any plans for the domain name, even when criticizing Twitter and toying with the idea of a new social media platform.
The first concrete mention of an “everything app” came on May 16th of 2022, when Musk visited theAll-In podcastand discussed WeChat. This discussion occurred during a rocky stage of the Twitter acquisition, after Musk threatened to drop out and build a rival Twitter app. Months later,he claimedthat “buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.”
It seems that Musk envisioned the “everything app” before or during the Twitter acquisition. And while most people see the Twitter rebrand to “X.com” as an impulsive move, Musk biographer Walter Isaacson says that it was discussed before the Twitter buyout was finalized. (The sudden and messy change to “X.com” was clearly by impulse, though.)
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Oddly, Isaacson also suggests that the “everything app” concept is two decades old. He says that Musk wants to “try to make [Twitter] a platform that would fulfill his original vision from 1999.” There’s no evidence that the original “X.com” was supposed to be anything but a financial services corporation, so perhaps we should take Isaacson’s statements with a grain of salt.
Note that several of Musk’s companies, including SpaceX, contain an “X” in their name and are owned by X Corp. These companies appear to be completely separate from the “everything app” concept. That said, Musk may find a way to create a connection at some point. (Maybe the X app will let you order Starlink internet service or hail an autonomous taxi—terrible ideas, but not completely unfathomable.)
When Will X Become an “Everything” App?
Some people believed that Twitter would take a radical new direction after Musk’s buyout. And while it’s true that Twitter (now X) has a new look, feel, direction, and name, it’s more or less the same old thing. Its trajectory to become an “everything” app is still unclear.
That said, the X app has gained a handful of new and notable social features—video chats, enhanced blogging capabilities, livestreaming, and a smorgasbord content subscription options (you can give your hard-earned cash to individual content creators, businesses, and the X service as a whole).
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These new features are still rooted in social media, though they may be used to leverage future services within the X app. They may also be seen as an essential part of the “everything” formula.
Presumably, a money-transfer system is the first step in expanding X beyond social media. This seems to be Musk’s short-term focus, and if WeChat is any indication, money transfer is a good first step toward becoming an “everything” app. We don’t know how many years it will take for such a system to be implemented, though.
