Abstract
- WhatsApp is working on interoperability with third-party chat applications to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act.
- A new video reveals that users will have to manually opt-in to third-party chat support
Account settings
. - Third-party chats will be separate from WhatsApp chats, with limited feature support.
WhatsApp is undoubtedly one of the most popular encrypted instant messaging apps on Android, often going up against other popular services like Telegram and Signal. However, such popularity has drawn the attention of regulators in the EU, where the European Commission has deemed the app a gatekeeper as defined in the Digital Markets Act. In order to protect its plans to continue operating in the market, Meta allows WhatsApp interoperability with other applications and now we have a first look at the implementation before the official release.
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Support for integration with third-party chat apps has been in the works since September 2023, or maybe even sooner, but development has been slow and mostly behind closed doors. As the name suggests, the interoperability will allow WhatsApp to receive messages sent from other chat apps like Telegram, and WhatsApp users will be allowed to reply and interact with the sender without leaving the app.
The last time we saw Meta discuss this was in February, when WhatsApp made it clear that the feature would remain exclusive to the “European region” but also revealed the technical specifications, so other apps could join without breaking encryption standards. While several related screenshots have surfaced earlier, respected app detective AssembleDebug recently shared a video that clarifies a few details (via SmartDroid ).
Interoperability is just around the corner
It is evident from the video that the third-party chat support option will be opt-in, which means users will have to enable it manually. The switch should be available below Settings → Account → Third-party conversations. Here, WhatsApp displays a prominent notification warning users that fraud and spam may be more prevalent in third-party chats and that they may treat user data differently.
On the next splash screen, the app explains that people using other apps can look you up using your phone number, and that could include people you’ve blocked on WhatsApp. However, Meta does not share your name and profile picture with them. Understandably, the app’s advanced features such as disappearing messages, stickers, and emoji reactions to messages are not supported.
On the last screen, you can select supported third-party applications where your phone number will be searchable. The list is empty in the video because the feature has not been rolled out yet, but you can revisit these settings under Settings → Account → Third-party conversations → Selected apps. Once enabled, the option is called Third Party Conversations it should appear at the top Chats tab. Apparently, Meta plans to keep WhatsApp chats separate from third-party chats, like locked conversations.
However, the UI for this feature appears to be ready for premiere and should be released soon. We sincerely hope that regulatory pressure will force WhatsApp to make this a standard feature in all markets, but that’s just wishful thinking for now.