NewsUC&C11 Sept 2023 · 4 min read

WhatsApp Working to Enable Cross-Platform Messaging

WhatsApp’s EU-driven move to cross-platform messaging could reshape enterprise comms. Published on UC Today, it adds interoperability, Meta and DMA focus.

Kieran Devlin

WhatsApp is working on enabling cross-platform messaging to comply with the EU's recently passed Digital Markets Act.

As reported by WABetaInfo, an independent and reliable WhatsApp news provider, a WhatsApp for Android beta update (version 2.23.19.8) delivered over the weekend included a "Third-party chats" screen. The screen isn't functional for users yet, but its existence virtually confirms that Meta is working towards making WhatsApp cross-platform compatible.

The beta update landed shortly after the EU's Digital Market Act passed, with the European Commission designating that Meta fulfils the definition of a "gatekeeper". As a consequence, comms platforms such as WhatsApp must be interoperable with third-party messaging apps by March 2024.

WABetaInfo wrote:

WhatsApp is one of the companies that will be required to comply with the new regulations outlined in the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. This is because WhatsApp is considered a gatekeeper service since it’s a large tech platform with a substantial user base and falls within the criteria set by the DMA. With the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.8 update(...) we discovered that WhatsApp is working on complying with the new regulations."

WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.8: what's new?

WhatsApp is working on complying with new EU regulations by developing support for chat interoperability, and it will be available in a future update of the app!https://t.co/XI6zMoOD5P pic.twitter.com/Jpd9Leh2Ki

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) September 10, 2023

What is the Digital Markets Act?

The Digital Markets Act is a large-scale competition reform law which will impose new regulations on big tech businesses so they provide durable services for companies and end users.

The European Commission's Q&A for the Digital Markets Act explains the law as aiming "to prevent gatekeepers from imposing unfair conditions on businesses and end users and at ensuring the openness of important digital services".

The European Commission defines "gatekeepers", such as WhatsApp, as "platforms that have a significant impact on the internal market, serve as an important gateway for business users to reach their end users, and which enjoy, or will foreseeably enjoy, an entrenched and durable position".

As well as requiring communication apps to be cross-platform interoperable, the Digital Markets Act also requires gatekeepers to ensure end users can simply uninstall pre-installed applications or prevent the installation of applications by default and provide for choice.

Additionally, gatekeepers must ensure that business users can access performance data about ad campaigns and pricing information and make it simple for developers to use alternative in-app payment systems.

Is WhatsApp Becoming a More Enterprise-Friendly Platform?

Although it is possible, even probable, that Meta would have decided against ever making WhatsApp work with cross-party messaging had the Digital Markets Act not forced its hand, it inadvertently continues a 2023 trend of the end-to-end encrypted messaging platform becoming increasingly enterprise-friendly.

Last month, WhatsApp introduced a call scheduling feature within group chats to bridge the gap to the likes of Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

The new feature allows WhatsApp group users to plan calls and automatically notify the other participants, resulting in more convenient and efficient communication.

The feature will enable users to schedule calls by tapping the call button. Users can then add a call subject, schedule a call date, and choose the type of group call, such as video or voice. When users confirm the scheduled group call data, an event will be automatically generated in the group chat for other participants to see. Group members will then receive a notification 15 minutes before the call starts.

In May, WhatsApp rivalled other communication platforms like Microsoft Teams by introducing a screen-sharing feature that allows others to view a user's phone screen while on a video call.

Screen sharing was already possible on Teams, Google Meet, and other high-profile video conferencing platforms, but it marked a significant step forward for WhatsApp, whose communications features had previously been relatively straightforward.

By tapping the screen sharing tab on the bottom navigation bar, which can be found between the flip camera and switch-off video icons, a message will pop up asking whether the user wants to “start recording or casting with WhatsApp?”. The user then needs to press the “Start now” button to start sharing their screen.

WhatsApp includes several other business-friendly features worth exploring, such as WhatsApp business catalogues, automated personalised messaging, instant video messages, and message editing.

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