The plan, in public

Honest, version-by-version.

We're bootstrapping. No empty promises, no fake screenshots, no "coming soon" pages that never ship. Here's what's actually being built, the order it's coming in, and what's still on the wall.

5versions
1shipping now
2next 12 months

The phases

Every version, every line item.

Summer 2026

v1.0 · MVP — Stories + feed

shipping

The foundation. A working social network with the killer feature live from day one. EN + AR. Closed pilot with ~500 friends across MENA.

  • Auth, profile, follow
  • Timeline, posts, events, polls
  • Stories with reactions
  • Push notifications
  • EN + AR with real RTL typography
  • iOS TestFlight build

Q4 2026

v1.1 · Voice + chat

next

The thing nobody else has bothered to build for our region the way we actually use it. Hold to record on any post or DM, send a voice note instead of typing.

  • Recording comments on the timeline
  • 1-to-1 chat
  • Group chats
  • Voice messages in chat
  • Read receipts

Q1 2027

v1.2 · Discovery + creators

soon

Make ChaiTalk a place where new voices can be found, and creators can build an audience without being algorithm-trapped.

  • Search v2 (people, posts, voice notes)
  • Trending stories — by region, not global
  • Creator profile + analytics
  • Light, opt-in ads (no surveillance)

2027

v2.0 · Communities + audio

planned

Where ChaiTalk becomes more than a feed. Topic communities, live audio rooms, real-world meet-ups.

  • Topic communities
  • Live audio rooms (think majlis)
  • Events RSVP + reminders
  • Local meet-ups directory

Beyond

v3.0 · Regional infrastructure

someday

The long-term ambition: edge servers across MENA, regional moderation, optional federation with other Arab-built tools.

  • Edge POPs in Cairo, Riyadh, Dubai
  • Regional moderation team
  • API + dev tools for the region

How we decide

The filter every feature has to pass.

01

Does it help our region?

If it only matters in San Francisco, it waits.

02

Does it earn its complexity?

Every screen and setting has to justify why it's there.

03

Can we ship it in weeks, not quarters?

Big features that hide for a year usually never come back.

04

Would Yapoey send it to his grandmother?

If it's confusing, intrusive, or noisy — it's not done yet.

Want to help us hit a milestone?

Every line above takes time and infra. If you can move it forward, here's how.