WhatsApp to announce its plan to support third-party chats next month

WhatsApp will announce its plans to support third-party messaging services in March 2024

The EU has given digital gatekeeper firms like Meta time until March 2024 to comply with its interoperability rules. It means WhatsApp will have to make its app compatible with other chat apps. WhatsApp engineering director Dick Brouwer revealed in an interview with Wired that the interoperability feature with third-party chat apps will start with files, text messages, videos, and voice messages sent from one person to another. This should allow people from other chat apps, like Google Messages, iMessage, Signal, and Telegram, to send messages to others on WhatsApp. It will also allow people on WhatsApp to send messages to others on rival chat platforms.

However, it isn't clear which companies are on board with Meta's plans yet. There are concerns regarding how WhatsApp will keep data secured when making its app compatible with other messaging services. Apparently, WhatsApp wants other firms to use the Signal Protocol to encrypt messages. While Meta is open to other firms using other services, they will have to prove to Meta that their methods meet the security standards that WhatsApp has outlined in its guidance. Brouwer told Wired that the company has to take a balanced approach in offering easy interoperability for cross-platform messaging while also ensuring high integrity, privacy, and security for user data.

The DMA went into effect last year, but the companies that are designated as Digital Gatekeepers have been given time until March 2024 to comply with those rules. The mention of third-party chats was found in the beta version of WhatsApp last year, but that feature hasn't made it to public testing yet. The company will announce its plans next month, but the feature could take many months to roll out to all users.