Tech
With WhatsApp, You Can Soon Do Everything At Once
(CTN News) – In light of their large user bases, Meta properties, such as WhatsApp and Messenger, have been identified as dominant players in the instant messaging arena by the European Union (EU).
As a result of the new regulations outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA), WhatsApp has been given a deadline to introduce interoperability features that enable communication between WhatsApp users without the requirement of creating a WhatsApp account.
The first indications indicate that WhatsApp is actively working on the implementation of these changes, and the first signs of ongoing development have already been observed.
Digital Markets Act (DMA) recently became law with the sole purpose of preventing major technology giants such as Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google from impeding fair competition in the industry.
Our objective is to make alternative services more accessible to consumers by simplifying the process of integrating them seamlessly.
As part of its initial phase, the EU legislators have designated 22 core platform services as gatekeepers and have initiated inquiries into their operations.
Meta, in particular, has a strict deadline of six months to implement interoperability between WhatsApp and Messenger. If this is not done, it may be subject to substantial fines amounting to 10 percent of its annual global revenue.
There is no need to be alarmed by the fine, as has taken proactive steps to address interoperability issues.
As reported by WABetaInfo,
WhatsApp has begun efforts to enable communication with other messaging applications.
Recently, testers discovered a new feature in the beta version 2.23.19.8 of the app, which is available on the Google Play Store.
Despite the lack of specific details due to ongoing development, this new feature, titled “Third-party chats,” is expected to serve as a hub for messages received from individuals not using as their primary messaging service.
The potential for such interoperability paves the way for smaller user-based apps, such as Signal, to compete with WhatsApp and other dominant platforms, such as Telegram. It is possible that the EU will reconsider the designation of gatekeeper as a result of this development.
Users would benefit from interoperability by being able to communicate with users via their preferred messaging app, eliminating the need for recipients to switch to the sender’s preferred platform. It is also important to note that users should also have the option of opting out of this interoperability feature if they wish to do so.
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp faces the formidable task of maintaining end-to-end encryption even for messages that originate from external applications.
WhatsApp may, however, extend interoperability beyond the European Union (EU), where the Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires such measures.
There is a possibility that WhatsApp may announce these initiatives officially in the near future, especially given the looming March 2024 deadline for compliance in order to avoid potential fines.
SEE ALSO:
Watch Apple Event 2023 Live Streaming: How To Watch Launch Of iPhone 15?
