WhatsApp To Soon Add Support For “Third-Party Chats”

According to WABetaInfo, this all-new screen designed for “Third-party Chats” is non-functional and inaccessible to users right now. Anyhow, its name strongly indicates the initial steps towards enabling Meta’s encrypted messaging app for cross-platform compatibility. Let’s have a look at the screenshot shared below.

As the feature is still in development, it only reveals a glance at what’s to come. Let me tell you that the beta release has come after the European Commission’s recent confirmation that Meta falls within the definition of a “gatekeeper” according to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This classification requires WhatsApp to establish interoperability with third-party messaging apps by March 2024.

The basic objective of the DMA is to thwart gatekeepers from imposing unfair conditions and to guarantee the accessibility of crucial digital services. Moreover, DMA also specifies that gatekeepers must allow users to uninstall pre-installed apps and explore alternative app stores. Meta and Microsoft have drafted their preferences to establish their mobile app stores in response to DMA. Reports claim that the European Commission is also conducting an investigation to determine whether Apple’s iMessage and Microsoft’s Bing search engine, Edge browser, and advertising service conform with the criteria outlined in the new regulation.