Meta has detailed its plans for incorporating third-party chats into WhatsApp. The company plans on rolling these changes out for users in the European Union and introducing options to put Messenger and WhatsApp messages into the same inbox. Meta will also build all text notifications into Messenger and WhatsApp and notify users when they can link their third-party chats into the system.
Meta says the supported apps will all integrate into WhatsApp and Messenger without any technical challenges from the user’s side. The company claims to have gone “above and beyond” the basic features required by the EU to offer rich messaging features such as reactions, direct replies, typing indications and read receipts. Similar to the experience across WhatsApp now.
In the future, Meta says the system will allow users to create group chats with third-party apps. In 2027, the company will also incorporate third-party voice and video calls.
While Meta has done the work, the company does expect some hurdles when it comes to other chat apps outside of the ecosystem. Other apps will need to use the same Signal Protocol to keep texts private and devs need to sign a terms of agreement to enlist their apps. Meta says it will provide help with the Signal Protocol for partners should they request it.
The shift to third-party app support comes after Meta was accused of being a digital gatekeeper under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Meta has since been forced to comply with the new act which means opening up its platform to other third-party apps. In the future, all apps like iMessage, Telegram, Google Messages and Signal will have to talk nice to one another.
