WhatsApp has just taken one of the biggest steps in its recent history: the arrival of third-party chats. This feature will allow users to send and receive messages from WhatsApp using other apps like Telegram or Signal, something unthinkable just a few years ago. This change is a direct response to the European Union's Digital Markets Directive (DMA).
Starting this week, users in Spain and throughout the European Union can test the interoperability of the beta version of WhatsApp for Android (2.25.33.8) . This opens up the possibility of communicating between different platforms, a direct requirement imposed on Meta, which is considered a digital " gatekeeper " due to its more than 45 million users.
WhatsApp complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA)
The rollout of third-party chat apps on WhatsApp will mark a turning point in instant messaging. The DMA requires major technology platforms to guarantee interoperability , thus preventing users from depending on a single application to communicate.
This classification led Meta to integrate third-party chats into WhatsApp. The new feature, which is already available, allows users to send and receive individual messages with contacts using other apps, although group chats are not yet enabled.
How will chats between WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal work?
In this first phase, interoperability encompasses basic functions, including sending text, photos, videos, voice notes, and push notifications. Users will also be able to configure media quality options and choose whether messages are displayed combined or separately in the inbox.WABetaInfo, a website specializing in reporting the latest app updates, has shared screenshots showing this new configuration. If the user chooses "combined chats," conversations with other apps will appear in the main chat tray. However, with the "separate " option, each app will have its own visible space.
This flexibility demonstrates that Meta seeks to maintain the WhatsApp user experience without breaking with its usual design, although it is not ruled out that the final interface will introduce visual differences to distinguish between internal and third-party conversations.
A more open future for courier services in Europe
Interoperability is a crucial step towards a freer and more connected messaging ecosystem. Users will no longer have to install a specific app to stay in touch with friends or family who prefer another platform.WhatsApp is thus getting ahead of the full implementation of the DMA, while Telegram and Signal are also preparing updates that will enable this two-way connection. Although the system is still in testing, everything points to final integration arriving in the coming months , solidifying a structural change in the way we communicate in Europe.
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