Subj : WhatsApp will soon let you chat with other messaging apps here's To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Wed Feb 07 2024 14:45:05 WhatsApp will soon let you chat with other messaging apps here's how the company says it'll work Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2024 14:34:06 +0000 Description: WhatsApp cross-app messaging is on the way and we finally have a clear idea of how it might work. FULL STORY ====================================================================== WhatsApp is gearing up to launch cross-messaging between other platforms meaning you might soon be able to use WhatsApp to send messages to people using Signal , Telegram, or others. We know the change is coming because of EU rules that gave Meta a March deadline to open up its messaging platform it's also why Apple is opening up the iPhone to App Store alternatives in Europe. But exactly how this interconnected system of messaging apps might look has been a bit of mystery, with only WhatsApp beta leaks teasing possible ways cross-app chats could work. Now in an interview with Wired , Dick Brouwer (a WhatsApp engineering director) has revealed some details of how WhatsApp users may be able to chat with other encrypted messaging apps . In general, the system works as we expected youll be able to chat with people using other messaging services, but there will be some hoops you and software developers need to jump through. The first is that youll have to opt in to cross-app messaging, as it wont be switched on by default. WhatsApp might soon be a one stop messaging hub (Image credit: Dima Solomin/Unsplash) Its never simple The next bump in the road is that your WhatsApp chats and third-party app chats wont be able to mingle in one inbox, instead if you opt-in to cross-app messaging your third-party conversations will be put into a separate third-party chats inbox meaning there are some extra taps required to open them. Brouwer explained that the decision to keep the inboxes separate is because WhatsApp cant guarantee these other services offer the same level of privacy and security as its own WhatsApp platform. So by keeping them separate its creating an obvious barrier between the chats it can confirm hold up to its security standards and those it cant. Another issue is that for a third-party service to be interoperable with Metas WhatsApp and Messenger apps, the company behind it will need to sign an agreement with Meta to follow certain terms. Exactly what this agreement looks like isnt yet known, but some messaging services may not want to be beholden to Meta even if the terms are themselves agreeable. Don't expect iMessage to team up with WhatsApp. (Image credit: Apple Inc) Case in point, we expect Apple will be keen to keep iMessages separate from this interconnected platform system, given that Apple has tried hard to stamp out similar initiatives in the past such as Beeper Mini . One stipulation might be that the apps use the Signal encryption protocol given that Brouwer says this is what Meta would prefer. Signal, WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Messages, and Skype all use this encryption protocol so theres already a handful of interoperability candidates but other platforms use their own encryption methods and may not want to swap. Brouwer added that Meta could be open to other chat services using alternative encryption protocols, but theyd need to show they hold up to at least the same level of security as WhatsApps outlines in its standards. So yes, interoperability between chat services is coming but itll probably take some time for other services to join Metas platforms after it goes lives and it might not feel quite as seamless as we had hoped. You might also like... WhatsApp iPhone users may soon get the chance to login without a password WhatsApp launches self-destructing voice messages to Android and iOS WhatsApp on iOS just got a big upgrade for sharing photos and videos ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/whatsapp-will-soon-let-you-chat-with-other-me ssaging-apps-heres-how-the-company-says-itll-work --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .