Inside Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco on Monday, X logos were projected in the cafeteria, while conference rooms were renamed to words with X in them, including “eXposure,” “eXult” and “s3Xy,” according to photos seen by The New York Times. Workers also began removing bird-related paraphernalia, such as a giant blue logo in the cafeteria. Outside the building, workers took off the first six letters of Twitter’s name before the San Francisco Police Department stopped them for performing “unauthorized work,” according to an alert sent by the department.

Mr. Musk had long said he might make the name change, but he hastened the process in a tweet early Sunday when he declared that “soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” He has said he hopes to turn Twitter into an “everything app” called X, which would encompass not only social networking but also banking and shopping.

What will the app do now?

Musk’s ambition to transform Twitter into a super-app, comparable to China’s WeChat, has been a prominent theme in his public statements. At present, there is no American counterpart to such a comprehensive application. However, industry experts envision an all-encompassing app that caters to virtually every online activity a person could desire.

“Consumers of the app can do a lot of different things on the platform, whether it’s listen to a podcast, shop, watch videos,” said Nii Ahene, chief strategy officer of marketing firm Tinuiti.

Twitter has already introduced various features, granting users the ability to participate in live audio conversations, send extended text messages, and even broadcast videos like the recent show launched by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on the platform. With its ongoing efforts to integrate paid subscriptions, Twitter opens the door to potential future expansions, possibly including the sharing of subscription revenue with its users.

What does this mean for Twitter?

Currently, the platform’s rebranding is limited to a mere name change, and no additional features have been introduced. This approach aligns with Musk’s seemingly favored product strategy of generating hype initially and delivering updates at a later stage.

According to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mandeep Singh, the name change indicates that Musk is inclined to retain control of the company in the foreseeable future. Following Musk’s takeover in April 2022, some speculated that he might introduce alterations to Twitter and promptly sell it to another entity. However, Singh’s analysis suggests otherwise.

What are the roadblocks?

Undoubtedly, an “everything app” faces various challenges that could lead to its failure, ranging from user confusion to difficulties in attracting sufficient advertisers.

“If you look at what Tesla’s done in terms of advertising, which is very little, [Musk’s] belief is that good product sells itself and you don’t need to advertise it. Meanwhile, you have many, many large brands and companies that spend millions of dollars on Twitter and would beg to differ,” said Aaron Goldman, chief marketing officer for Mediaocean, an advertising partner of Twitter’s.

However, the strategic expansion of the platform to encompass features like shopping and paid subscription content could prove beneficial in the long run. By diversifying revenue streams, the app becomes less dependent on the willingness of large companies to invest, potentially fostering its growth and sustainability over time.

What are your thoughts?

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