News

X, Formerly Twitter, Has Introduced Voice And Video Calls

Only premium subscribers can make calls at the moment, but all users can receive them.

Published

1 year ago

October 26, 2023

x formerly twitter has introduced voice and video calls

X, the social media company previously known as Twitter, has added voice and video calls to the platform in a bid to expand its product offering.

While only premium subscribers can make calls at present, all accounts can receive them, the X website noted yesterday. The features will be available first on iOS but will soon come to Android as well.

Users can control who can call them using options in the direct messages settings. To call another X user, they must have sent you a direct message at least in the past, X said.

Elon Musk explained that X users would be able to make video and voice calls without sharing their phone numbers. The new features are a direct shot at Meta, owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Also Read: Tribit FlyBuds C1 Earbuds Review: The Ultimate Bang For Your Buck

Musk has made several sweeping changes to Twitter since his acquisition. In December, the platform launched Twitter Blue, a paid subscription service that indicates if a user is verified and offers Edit Tweet, 1080p video uploads, and longer tweets.

In July, Musk changed the name of Twitter to X, a move analysts say has wiped between $4 and $20 billion from the company’s value.

News

Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia

The e-commerce startup is aiming to tap into the Kingdom’s underdeveloped e-grocery sector with a tech-first, locally rooted strategy.

Published

3 days ago

April 7, 2025

Nour Nasir

Rabbit

Rabbit, an Egyptian-born hyperlocal e-commerce startup, is expanding into the Saudi Arabian market, setting its sights on delivering 20 million items across major cities by 2026.

The company, founded in 2021, is already operational in the Kingdom, with its regional headquarters now open in Riyadh and an established network of strategically located fulfillment centers — commonly known as “dark stores” — across the capital.

The timing is strategic: Saudi Arabia’s online grocery transactions currently sit at 1.3%, notably behind the UAE (5.3%) and the United States (4.8%). With the Kingdom’s food and grocery market estimated at $60 billion, even a modest increase in online adoption could create a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.

Rabbit also sees a clear alignment between its business goals and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to boost retail sector innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract foreign investment, and develop a robust digital economy.

The company’s e-commerce model is based on speed and efficiency. Delivery of anything from groceries and snacks to cosmetics and household staples is promised in 20 minutes or less, facilitated by a tightly optimized logistics system — a crucial component in a sector where profit margins and delivery expectations are razor-thin.

Despite the challenges, Rabbit has already found its stride in Egypt. In just over three years, the app has been used by 1.4 million customers to deliver more than 40 million items. Revenue has surged, growing more than eightfold in the past two years alone.

Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025

CEO and Co-Founder Ahmad Yousry commented: “We are delighted to announce Rabbit’s expansion into the Kingdom. We pride ourselves on being a hyperlocal company, bringing our bleeding-edge tech and experience to transform the grocery shopping experience for Saudi households, and delivering the best products – especially local favorites, in just 20 minutes”.

The company’s growth strategy avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on aggressive discounting. Instead, Rabbit leans on operational efficiency, customer retention, and smart scaling. The approach is paying off, having already attracted major investment from the likes of Lorax Capital Partners, Global Ventures, Raed Ventures, and Beltone Venture Capital, alongside earlier investors such as Global Founders Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Hub71.