Meta has announced that WhatsApp will support chats from third-party messaging apps for users in the European Union. The move is a direct response to the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a major regulation that means designated 'gatekeeper' platforms must interact with smaller services.

The new functionality, named "third-party chats," will be available on both Android and iOS devices. It is an opt-in feature, meaning users must manually enable it within their settings before they can communicate with people on other supported messaging apps.

DMA Compliance Drives Change

The Digital Markets Act was meant to create a more competitive and fair digital market by preventing large technology companies from creating closed ecosystems that limit consumer choice. It comes into force if a company has a large market share in a specific area (such as messaging) and meets other criteria such as the number of users and turnover.

Initially, two apps will be supported: BirdyChat, a service focused on professional communication, and Haiket, a voice-first messaging platform. Users who opt-in can communicate using text, images, voice notes, videos, and various file types with users on these platforms directly within WhatsApp. (Source: fb.com)

Security and Future Plans

Meta says it will maintain its commitment to security, stating that a new architecture has been developed to preserve end-to-end encryption where possible. The company requires that any third-party provider wishing to connect with WhatsApp must sign an agreement and adopt a compatible encryption standard to make sure communications stay secure.

The release will happen in stages over the next few months, with European users receiving an in-app notification explaining how to enable the feature. While the initial launch is limited to one-on-one messaging, Meta has confirmed that the ability to have group conversations is planned for a subsequent update. (Source: computing.co.uk)

What's Your Opinion?

Would you enable third-party chats on WhatsApp, or do you prefer to keep your messaging apps separate? Do you believe this change will lead you to try new messaging services? Should this type of interoperability be required for tech companies worldwide, not just in Europe?