Elon Musk plots launch of YouTube rival coming to millions of Samsung TVs and Amazon Fire Sticks

ELON Musk has revealed the latest phase of turning his X app into a so-called “everything app” – and it involves squaring up to YouTube.

The eccentric billionaire first unveiled his plans for X in October 2022, when he bought social media platform Twitter in a controversial $44billion takeover and renamed it.

Reuters

First Twitter became X, and now X is set to become something very different altogether[/caption]

AFP

Onlookers reckon the video-based version of X could rival Google’s YouTube[/caption]

It was then when Musk detailed a theoretical single place where users can access most, if not all, of their favourite online services and utilities.

In China, a version of the idea already exists in WeChat, which began life as a messaging platform similar to WhatsApp.

Like I have said X is the new WeChat! All in one platform! Elon didn’t buy it for fun!

X user @HustleCatalyst

Over the years, WeChat has evolved into its own mini-internet that allows users to do everything from share social media-style posts to getting news, making payments, booking restaurants and ordering taxis.

First Twitter became X, and now X is set to become something very different altogether.

In a short message on X, Musk hinted that users will “soon” be able to watch long form videos via X on their smart TVs.

This includes Samsung TVs and Amazon Fire Sticks.

Onlookers reckon the video-based version of X could rival Google’s YouTube.

But others aren’t fans of the decision, and simply wish that Twitter remained a text-based app.

“I want Twitter to be Twitter. Not knock off YouTube. Not knock off cash app,” one X user wrote.

Another tweeted: “Like I have said X is the new WeChat! All in one platform! Elon didn’t buy it for fun!”

But the X team don’t see this as a huge transition, or big news update.

In a blog post earlier this year, the team claimed that X is already a video-first platform and that eight out of 10 user sessions involved watching videos.