It’s most likely somewhat extra interoperability than Meta would have favored, however WhatsApp is at present creating a new “Third Party Chats” section, which can allow customers of different chat apps to ship messages to WhatsApp customers.
As you may see on this instance, shared by WA Beta Info, WhatsApp’s constructing a brand new component within the app the place individuals will be capable to view messages from different suppliers.
The change is consistent with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which incorporates provisions that require “gatekeeper” apps, or apps with vital market management, to “allow third events to inter-operate with the gatekeeper’s personal companies in sure particular conditions”.
In WhatsApp’s case, that signifies that it might want to enable a stage of cross-platform entry with different message suppliers, which can develop the capability for WhatsApp for use as a extra common messaging app.
Meta, after all, has lengthy been working by itself cross-platform interoperability process, which can ultimately allow customers of Messenger, Instagram Direct, and WhatsApp to view and reply to messages despatched from any platform throughout the different. That push gained much more momentum final week, when the UK Government dropped a key measure that sought to dam Meta from implementing end-to-end encryption by default in all of its messaging apps.
That’ll pave the way in which for the subsequent stage of Meta’s messaging integration push, by way of it’ll be fascinating to see how this new measure, which would require Meta to open up its platform to outdoors instruments, will impression broader progress and adoption.
My guess can be that Meta will nonetheless stay the main platform for messaging in most areas, and that it’ll look to make use of this new component as a way to spotlight the extra advantages of utilizing its personal apps for messaging, versus merely porting into its service.
In accordance with WA Beta Info, WhatsApp has a 6-month interval to align its app with the brand new EU laws and facilitate messaging interoperability, so it’s not prepared but, however it is going to be coming quickly.
