July 2025 Summaries

Jack Dorsey's Bitchat is an innovative messaging app that facilitates peer-to-peer communication without relying on the internet or cellular networks, using Bluetooth mesh networking to enable encrypted, device-to-device messaging. While Bitchat is hailed as a unique project, the concept of offline networking isn't new, as exemplified by previous applications like FireChat and current enterprise solutions like Ditto. Ditto's technology has been applied across various industries, providing resilient, mesh-based connectivity for businesses like Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, and the U.S. Air Force, proving valuable in environments with unreliable or no network access. Bitchat could potentially expand its functionality by incorporating Ditto's mature networking capabilities, which include broader transport options, support for large file sync, and cross-platform compatibility, while maintaining its offline-first and privacy-focused ethos. This broader application of mesh networking technology highlights its growing significance in maintaining communication and data access in a world increasingly subject to internet shutdowns and censorship.

Ditto's Query Language (DQL) is undergoing significant enhancements aimed at improving the user experience compared to legacy query tools. Key updates include the elimination of mandatory collection definitions in queries, with SELECT queries now defaulting to return all fields, aligning with the behavior of the legacy language. Nested maps and attachments are now supported as native data types in the DQL editor. Users transitioning from the legacy builder can upgrade to Ditto version 4.11.1 and adjust settings to accommodate new behaviors, with comprehensive training and support available for migration. Future releases will phase out the legacy query builder and introduce features like support for popular ORMs, projections, indexes, joins, and aggregates to enhance query efficiency and power. While the legacy system will no longer be supported in releases 5.0 and beyond, version 4.12 will remain a long-term supported release for 18-24 months, providing users ample time to adapt to DQL.

Ditto has acquired KeySquare Labs, the creators of the Propagate software platform, which turns Android devices into edge network hubs, significantly enhancing Ditto's tactical communications capabilities. The acquisition allows Ditto to integrate seamlessly with major tactical radios such as PRC-163 and PRC-167, expanding its offerings to include comprehensive support for global public safety and government markets. This move includes rebranding Ditto Federal to Ditto Public Sector, led by Eric Hanft, to focus on defense, national security, and global public sector growth. Propagate's software redefines tactical networking by enabling instant deployment of Android devices as network routers without specialized hardware, offering cost efficiency, ease of use, and enhanced security through TLS 1.3 encryption. The Ditto-Propagate solution supports a wide range of networks, including terrestrial, satellite, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LTE, positioning Ditto to deliver rapidly deployable and secure networks for defense, public safety, and commercial sectors.