In a significant development for digital communication, WhatsApp is rolling out a groundbreaking 'third-party chats' feature specifically for European users. This move represents one of the most substantial changes to the messaging platform since its inception, potentially transforming how people communicate across different apps.
What Prompted WhatsApp's Interoperability Move?
The driving force behind this revolutionary feature is the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which designates major technology corporations like Meta as 'gatekeepers' due to their dominant market positions. The legislation mandates these companies to open their services to third parties, fostering healthier competition and providing consumers with more choices.
The feature was recently discovered by WABetainfo in WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.25.33.8, indicating that the long-rumored interoperability functionality is finally approaching public release. Meta has been quietly developing this capability for some time but appears to have accelerated efforts to meet the EU's March 2026 compliance deadline.
How WhatsApp's Cross-Platform Messaging Will Function
European WhatsApp users receiving the beta update can enable the interoperability feature through a straightforward process: navigating to Settings > Account > Third-party chats. Once activated, users gain the ability to communicate with contacts on other messaging platforms while remaining within the familiar WhatsApp interface.
The third-party chat functionality supports essential communication features that WhatsApp users have come to expect, including:
- Text messaging
- Photo and video sharing
- Voice messages
- Document transfers
Users will have flexibility in managing their incoming messages, with options to either integrate third-party conversations into their main inbox or maintain a separate dedicated section for cross-platform communications. The feature also allows customization of notification preferences, media upload quality settings, and in-app alerts specifically for messages originating from other applications.
Security Protocols and Supported Applications
Currently, BirdyChat stands as the only messaging app integrated with WhatsApp's interoperability framework. However, the selection process for supported applications follows a specific protocol: WhatsApp won't directly choose which apps to include. Instead, third-party developers must initiate the integration process themselves and formally request inclusion within WhatsApp's interoperability settings.
Security remains a paramount concern in this cross-platform expansion. Any application seeking integration must satisfy WhatsApp's rigorous security and encryption standards to ensure user conversations remain protected. This requirement aims to maintain the end-to-end encryption that has become a hallmark of WhatsApp's security framework.
Industry observers anticipate that WhatsApp could receive numerous integration requests in the coming months, with speculation that platforms like ChatGPT might seek inclusion, especially considering the AI platform's recent introduction of Group Chats functionality that parallels features available on WhatsApp.
However, users should note certain limitations. Several popular WhatsApp features, including status updates, stickers, and disappearing messages, may not function in cross-platform conversations. Additionally, the interoperability feature could potentially allow previously blocked contacts to reach users through third-party applications, presenting new considerations for privacy management.
This development marks a pivotal moment in digital communication, potentially ending the era of walled-garden messaging ecosystems and ushering in a new age of interconnected digital conversations across platform boundaries.
