Users can disable the feature within their account settings, and restrict who can contact them when it’s enabled. | Illustration: The Verge
X (formerly Twitter) is now rolling out its audio and video calling capabilities to Android users following their iOS launch last October. Users may need to update the app to see the feature, according to X developer Enrique Barragan, who also says that any user can receive calls, but only X Premium subscribers can place them.
It’s unclear how long the rollout will take to reach all Android users, though we’ve confirmed that at least one of The Verge’s Android devices is showing the feature after the X app was updated. X Premium subscriptions start at $3 per month for the “Basic” tier, but it isn’t clear from X’s Help Centre which tier the outbound video and audio calling perk is locked behind.
Image: X
There are a few customization options available in X’s settings for Android (pictured) to toggle the feature on or off, and manage who can call you.
Users on both iOS and Android can enable or disable the feature by heading into Settings > Privacy and safety > Direct Messages > Enable audio and video calling. If enabled, users can also manage which users can call them, with restrictions available that limit receiving calls to people in their address book, users they follow, or just those with blue ticks.
Locking outbound calling behind X Premium is the company’s way of trying to lure new subscribers as ad sales have faltered — a tactic it’s used regularly with other features like Tweetdeck and ad revenue sharing. That hasn’t stopped the company from removing perks entirely though, as seen with the recent disappearance of NFT profile pictures.
