WhatsApp will soon receive messages from other apps. New EU rules require WhatsApp and Messenger to be interoperable with other chat apps.
There are different messaging apps such as iMessage, WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal and Telegram. Although these applications are used by billions of people, it is currently not possible to send messages from one to another. But WhatsApp will soon do the unthinkable for its 2 billion users: it will allow people to send you messages from another app. At least that's the plan.
Third-party messaging support is coming to WhatsApp
One month before the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) deadline, WhatsApp is preparing to allow other messaging networks on its app. Dick Brouwer, one of WhatsApp's engineering directors, said in an interview with Wired that they are ready for this. Therefore, this change will be made by March. The change is expected to cover only EU member states.
The EU decided in 2022 that messaging apps covered by the DMA should be able to work together. This rule requires "gatekeeper" services such as WhatsApp and Messenger to work together with other chat apps (iMessage, Telegram, etc.). In addition to WhatsApp, Meta is also working to add support for other chat apps to Messenger.
Initially, these experiences will focus on one-to-one chats where people can send text, audio, video, images and files between apps. As WABetaInfo previously reported, this experience will live in a new submenu at the top of the inbox called "Third-party chats".
Security and privacy at the forefront
It will be up to the user to allow or disallow the exchange of messages with third parties on WhatsApp. Because this can become a major source of spam and fraud. In addition, companies that want to be interoperable with Meta's system will have to sign an agreement, the details of which have not yet been made public. WhatsApp will require "end-to-end encryption" to ensure interoperability. Brouwer also said that third-party chats and WhatsApp native chats may not reach feature parity because interoperability could lead to new privacy and security issues.
