WhatsApp's New Feature Could Enable Users to Send Messages to Other Messaging Apps

WhatsApp's new conversation interoperability feature may eventually enable you to transmit messages to other applications like Signal or Telegram. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) requirements in Europe, which permit big businesses, or "gatekeepers," six months to enable connection between various messaging applications, are the reason behind the development of the new function.

What is the new third-party chat feature on WhatsApp?

The latest version of WhatsApp beta, 2.24.5.18, includes a new area for third-party conversations, which is reportedly in development, according to a report from WABetainfo. The build of WhatsApp is 2.24.5.18. According to the screenshot that was released via WABetainfo, users will need to actively enable the chat interoperability feature to utilize it.

Concerns regarding security

However, WhatsApp is said to be adding three safeguards even before the function is activated. "You're messaging someone outside of WhatsApp," states the first safety measure. Other applications could employ a different end-to-end encryption scheme." 

Another warning reads: "Spam and scams may be more common in third-party chat rooms." Meanwhile, a third caution reads: "Third-party apps have their own rules. They may treat your data differently than WhatsApp."

The new compatibility feature allows users to send messages to users who are not in the personal messaging app. and use another service, such as Telegram or Signal. The WaBetaInfo report says that these chats will be listed in a separate inbox under the chats tab.

Dick Brouwer comments on interoperable chats 

WhatsApp's director of engineering, Dick Brouwer, also recently confirmed to Wire magazine that, in response, the report claims that interoperable chat rooms will only focus on text, images, audio, and video, and features such as calls and group chats. The transition to interoperable chat rooms could take years.

Explaining the approach behind Meta Interoperable Chats, Brouwer "says, "We believe that the best way to implement this approach is a solution based on WhatsApp's current client-server architecture.

Effectively, the approach we're trying to take is for WhatsApp to document our client's server log and allow third-party clients to connect directly to our infrastructure and exchange messages with WhatsApp clients.