New WhatsApp Beta Shows Traces of Chat Interoperability Support

Meta is reportedly getting ready to start testing chat interoperability between WhatsApp and other messaging apps. In a new update for the beta version of WhatsApp for Android, WABetaInfo discovered a new “third-party chats” screen that’s currently not functional yet, but it does give an indication of the under-the-hood work that’s being done to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

WhatsApp currently has over 2 billion users globally, making it one of the biggest messaging apps on the market. However, the days of WhatsApp operating as a walled garden may soon be over.

📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.8: what's new?

WhatsApp is working on complying with new EU regulations by developing support for chat interoperability, and it will be available in a future update of the app!https://t.co/XI6zMoOD5P pic.twitter.com/Jpd9Leh2Ki

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) September 10, 2023

Last week, the EU Commission designated Meta as one of the “gatekeepers” that will need to change some of its core platform services to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Other companies designated as gatekeepers by the EU Commission include Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), and Microsoft.

Regarding Meta, the EU Commission identified 6 core platform services that are currently problematic, with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger falling into the ’Number Independent Interpersonal Communications Services’ (NIICS). This category designates the messaging apps that the EU wants to become interoperable with other messaging services.

The EU’s Digital Markets Act gives Meta six months to detail its plans regarding the implementation of message interoperability on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. However, the EU Commission said that the requirement will only apply “either after 6 months, 2 years or 4 years following the designation and has to be implemented by the gatekeeper 3 months after the reasonable request.”

WhatsApp encrypts all messages by default, and it’s not clear yet how the company will be able to apply the same end-to-end encryption technology to messages coming from other messaging services. Anyway, it looks like the EU Commission is aware that the implementation may take some time.

Apple’s iMessage isn’t on the list of gatekeepers yet, but the Commission opened an investigation to determine if it should be designated as a gatekeeper, even though Apple has been arguing the contrary. This investigation should be completed within a maximum of 5 months.