WhatsApp to launch third-party chat integration in Europe soon

Meta is getting acceptable to motorboat third-party chat integration connected WhatsApp successful Europe, the institution announced connected Friday. The tech elephantine notes that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires it to springiness users successful Europe the enactment to chat with radical utilizing third-party messaging services that person chosen to marque their apps interoperable.

“Following palmy small-scale tests implicit the past months, the enactment for WhatsApp users to chat with users of messaging apps BirdyChat and Haiket straight via third-party chats volition soon beryllium rolling retired crossed Europe,” Meta wrote successful a blog post. “This marks a important milestone successful Meta’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) interoperability requirements.”

Users successful Europe who person opted successful to the third-party integration volition beryllium capable to stock messages, images, voice messages, videos, and files. The enactment to make groups with third-party users volition motorboat erstwhile Meta’s partners are acceptable to enactment it, the institution says.

Over the coming months, users successful the European Region volition statesman seeing a notification successful the “Settings” tab that volition explicate the process of opting successful to link with radical connected third-party apps. Third-party integrations volition lone enactment connected Android and iOS, not connected desktops, web, oregon tablets.

Image Credits:Meta

Of course, connecting with radical connected different messaging apps is optional, and users tin crook third-party chats connected oregon disconnected astatine immoderate time.

Meta says its partnerships with BirdyChat and Haiket are the effect of a three-year collaboration with the European messaging services and the European Commission to make a third-party chat solution that complies with DMA requirements.

Additionally, the institution notes that third-party messaging must use the same level of end-to-end encryption as WhatsApp. Meta besides says it has ensured that users volition recognize the differences betwixt chats connected WhatsApp and third-party chats.

Back successful September 2024, Meta shared what third-party chats connected WhatsApp volition look like, noting that users volition beryllium capable to acceptable up a designated folder for third-party messages oregon opt for a combined inbox. The institution besides said astatine the clip that it would notify users each clip a caller third-party messaging app became available.