WhatsApp is ready to add new messaging networks a month before the DMA deadline.
In an interview with Wired, WhatsApp technical director Dick Brouwer stated the platform, with over 2 billion users, is ready for interoperability.
Offering an easy solution to provide third-party interoperability while retaining WhatsApp privacy, security, and integrity is a challenge. I believe we’re quite pleased with our position, he told the outlet.
In 2022, the EU included messaging interoperability in DMA. WhatsApp and Messenger must allow other communication applications under this guideline.
Meta also wants to support other chat applications on Messenger. These experiences will first center on one-on-one interactions with cross-app text, audio, video, pictures, and file sharing. Like WABetaInfo revealed, this experience will live in a new sub-menu on top of the inbox named “Third-party chats.”
Brouwer, who helped Messenger launch end-to-end encryption last year, told Wired that this will be an opt-in to minimize spam and fraud.
“I can choose to exchange messages with third parties. He said this is crucial because spam and fraud might come from it.
Companies that want to use Meta’s system must sign a non-public agreement. WhatsApp compatibility requires end-to-end encryption. However, Apple’s latest App Store modifications may indicate that the conditions are complicated.
At a recent lecture, Matrix founder Matthew Hodgson said it had worked with WhatsApp on an “experimental” basis to maintain end-to-end encryption.
Whether Telegram, Viber, and Google will enable WhatsApp interoperability is unclear.
Brouwer told Wired that interoperability might raise privacy and security concerns, preventing feature parity between third-party and WhatsApp native conversations.
In recent months, apps that combine numerous messaging services have garnered attention. WordPress owner Automattic purchased Texts.com for $50 million in October. Eric Migicovsky, the creator of the Pebble watch, attempted to offer iMessage to Android phones, but Apple shut it down.
WhatsApp will add third-party chat.
