WhatsApp, under the ownership of Meta, is continually testing and implementing new features. The latest development aims to simplify cross-platform communication and is centered around introducing third-party chat support to align with recent European Union (EU) regulations. Let’s explore how this change could impact you.
WhatsApp Working on Chat Interoperability!
WhatsApp has introduced third-party chat support in its recent Android beta update, version 2.23.19.8. This update includes a dedicated section with the same name, although it’s currently under development and not accessible to beta users as shown in the screenshot.
So, what’s the significance of this feature? In essence, this section will allow you to have chats from other messaging apps within WhatsApp, making it possible to communicate with others on WhatsApp through another messaging platform. This means you won’t need to create a WhatsApp account if you don’t already have one. For example, you’ll be able to use Signal or Telegram to send messages to someone on WhatsApp.
The purpose of this law is to establish a level playing field for competition and it designates certain companies as gatekeepers to ensure the law’s objectives are met. The European Union has identified Amazon, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Apple, ByteDance (the company behind TikTok), Meta (Facebook’s parent company), and Microsoft as the gatekeepers subject to these regulations. These gatekeepers are obligated to enable third-party services to interoperate with their platforms, and this interoperability requirement applies to services such as Google Maps, Google Play Store, Safari, Amazon Marketplace, LinkedIn, Messenger, Instagram, and more.
Interestingly, iMessage is notably absent from the list of gatekeepers, potentially due to not meeting the requirement of having over 45 million users, which is a prerequisite for being designated as a gatekeeper under the law. For further information on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), you can refer to additional resources provided over here.
While WhatsApp is adopting this feature to comply with the DMA, it’s unclear whether it will maintain end-to-end encryption, and the execution details are still limited. It’s also uncertain whether Messenger and Instagram, both under Meta, will follow suit.
As additional details emerge, we will continue to provide you with updates on these developments. Feel free to express your opinions in the comments area down below.
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