X (formerly Twitter) is finally rolling out the audio and video calling feature on Android starting today. The audio and video calling feature was first announced by the site’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, and owner Elon Musk in August 2023. It eventually started rolling out to iOS users in October last year.
This feature is part of the company’s vision to make X the “everything app” with “unlimited interactivity.” The audio and video calling feature further extends the current features already on the platform such as messaging and live streams, and the “soon-to-come” payments feature.
According to one of the engineers at X working on the feature, the feature is available on the latest version of X – though might not be immediately available for all users.
After updating the app, anyone can receive calls and the feature can be accessed directly on messages. However, making calls on X is a premium feature – you’ll have to pay for the X Premium subscription starting at $3/month or $32/year for the “Basic Tier.”
Yes, calling is now one of those things you get to pay for which is no surprise as the company is trying to raise revenue amidst falling ad sales on the platform.
You can also control who can call you using the Direct Message Settings. This includes only allowing people in your address book, people you follow or verified users to call you.
To counter spam, you can disable the audio and video calling feature altogether. To do this, go to Settings > Privacy and safety > Direct messages > Enable audio and video calling and disable it.
Additionally, if you plan on allowing calls on X, you’ll need to enable push notifications to get notified when you receive a call.
