WhatsApp is expected to bring cross-messaging capabilities with third-party apps. This change became relevant due to the new Digital Markets Act rolled out by the European Union, designating Meta (WhatsApp’s parent company) as a “gatekeeper” and mandating it to allow third parties to interoperate with its own services within a timeline of six months. In this case, cross-app messaging.
WhatsApp cross-messaging to start soon
According to the latest report from Wired, Meta has been designated as a “gatekeeper,” essentially an entity that has a significant grasp over its area of operation.
Interoperability in both WhatsApp and Messenger will focus on facilitating text messaging, sending images, voice messages, videos, and files between two individuals, as mandated by EU rules. Calls and group chats will have this functionality later.
Dick Brouwer, an engineering director at WhatsApp, shares with Wired that one of the crucial requirements for the new function is for users to opt-in, and the feature won’t be turned on by default. Only users who opt in for the functionality can use the cross-messaging functionality, and the emphasis on such is to combat spam and scams.
According to Brouwer, third-party developers can also add a proxy between their apps and WhatsApp’s server, which makes the process easier but also poses significant security risks.
