WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is reportedly in the process of developing a new feature known as 'chat interoperability' on Android to meet the requirements of new European Union (EU) regulations. This feature will enable users to communicate with each other using different messaging apps, according to WABetaInfo. For instance, a user on the Signal app could send a message to a WhatsApp user, even without a WhatsApp account.
This development comes shortly after the European Commission confirmed that Meta falls under the definition of a 'gatekeeper' as per the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). This designation mandates that communication software like WhatsApp must enable interoperability with third-party messaging apps by March 2024.
The chat interoperability feature is still in development and not accessible to users at this time. WhatsApp has a six-month period to align its app with the new regulations to provide interoperability services within the European Union. However, it remains uncertain whether this feature will eventually extend to countries outside the EU.
In addition to this, WhatsApp is reportedly working on another feature for Android called 'filter groups chat'. This feature aims to enhance user control over conversations, making it easier to manage and prioritize messages. It allows users to create a list of their groups while excluding individual chats. To better distinguish between individual and group chats, WhatsApp has renamed the 'Personal' filter to "Contacts," as the former included groups and communities. The new 'Contacts' filter will exclusively include individual conversations.
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These developments underscore WhatsApp's efforts to adapt to evolving regulatory requirements and improve the user experience within the EU while potentially providing more advanced conversation management tools to Android users worldwide.
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Inputs from IANS
