As part of Meta’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, WhatsApp and Messenger will soon be interoperable with other messaging platforms like Apple Messages, Telegram, Signal, and Google Messages for users in Europe. While this change is promising, it will be limited to the EU, with no clear indication of a global rollout. The lack of motivation for Meta to expand interoperability worldwide is evident, as similar regulatory demands outside of Europe are unlikely.
Meta is opting for a flexible approach, allowing users to choose which third-party apps to integrate. Users can either keep external chats in a separate inbox or combine all messages into one unified inbox, with the ability to switch preferences anytime. To assist users, Meta includes an onboarding process that explains the integration options and provides updates on new compatibility as it becomes available.
Importantly, Meta will offer rich messaging features like reactions, direct replies, typing indicators, and read receipts across third-party chats from the start. Group chat functionality with users of other apps is planned for 2025, followed by voice and video calling in 2027.
Achieving interoperability is complex, particularly in maintaining security across platforms. Meta plans to share the Signal Protocol used by WhatsApp for encryption, but third-party apps must integrate this protocol and obtain Meta’s approval, a challenging yet essential requirement in the official agreement for service providers.
