WhatsApp is about to launch a feature which will mean the app will never look or work the same again: third-party messaging. It will mean that you’ll be able to receive messages from other apps. Exactly when it will arrive seems to have taken a significant step forward for iPhone users.
It’s a pretty cool new feature, meaning that you will no longer have to remember whether you read that message in WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Signal or iMessage. They’ll all turn up in their own inboxes in WhatsApp—assuming the other app’s developers want them to.
Now, according to WABetaInfo, after several moves that would affect users of WhatsApp on Android, the prospect of chat interoperability has come closer for the iPhone, too, as a new beta version of the app has become available for iPhone users.
WABetaInfo says, “After installing the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.5.10.72 update, which is available on the TestFlight app, we discovered that WhatsApp keeps working on the third-party chats feature!”
It’s all part of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which comes into force on Wednesday, March 6. Those companies designated as gatekeepers, like WhatsApp, are required to open up their products to competitors.
As such, it’s likely, though not certain, that the new feature will be restricted just to users in the EU. Even if it is, you can bet that users around the world will be encouraging WhatsApp to make the changes universal.
It also means that you’ll be able to see messages sent from other apps, even if you don’t have those apps on your phone. This is an opt-in feature, so if users don’t opt in, they won’t be troubled by any changes at all.
WABetaInfo goes on, “As interoperable messaging systems must maintain end-to-end encryption, third-party apps may employ different encryption methods. Consequently, chats conducted through such apps will be listed into a distinct inbox within the chats tab.”
These privacy and security complications are reflected in an iOS screenshot in the report, saying, “Users are advised to exercise caution when engaging in conversations via third-party chats, as instances of spam and scams may be more prevalent, particularly because profile names and photos are unavailable. It is important to note that while third-party apps adhere to their own policies, data handling practices may differ from those of WhatsApp.”
The fact that the latest beta is in the TestFlight app, and the fact that the DMA comes into force in a matter of hours, suggests things are nearing completion, and the release date for the updated app could be similarly imminent, perhaps as soon as this week. I’m watching this situation carefully, so please check back.
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