Meta finally has drew the curtain about what its plans will look like for third-party chats on WhatsApp and Messenger. The change, which will be rolled out to users in the European Union, introduces new options to put Messenger and WhatsApp messages in the same inbox as third-party chats or keep them separate.
It's also introducing new notifications to Messenger and WhatsApp, which will let users know when they can link chats from the new supported apps. Meta says it has “gone beyond the 'basic' features needed for interoperable messaging” and will offer advanced messaging features such as reactions, direct replies, typing indicators, and read receipts.
It will also begin including the option to create groups with other people in third-party chats next year. But Meta’s plan for interoperability goes beyond messaging: The company says it will roll out support for third-party voice and video calling in 2027.
Meta has been working to bring third-party chats to WhatsApp and Messenger for EU users for quite some time. The company is considered a “digital gatekeeper” under the EU Digital Markets Act, meaning it must meet requirements for WhatsApp and Messenger to be interoperable with third-party apps such as iMessage, Telegram, Google Messages, Signal, and others.
There are some hurdles it will have to overcome, as other companies that want to integrate with WhatsApp and Messenger will need to use the same Signal protocol to keep messages private. a copy of the agreement Third-party apps must sign, Meta says it will make the Signal Protocol available to partners upon request.
