WhatsApp makes screen for chats from other apps available in iOS beta

The latest beta version of WhatsApp’s iOS app has added a screen for ‘Third-party Chats’. This allows users to chat with users of other apps via WhatsApp. This function serves to comply with the European Digital Markets Act.

WhatsApp beta 2.24.2.72 for iOS added a hidden section for third-party chats, discovered WABetaInfo. A screenshot shows that this section will appear at the top of the list of chat conversations. However, users must first activate this option manually. According to the site, this section allows users to have conversations with users of other chat services, such as Signal. End-to-end encryption must also remain intact for these chats.

The feature is currently not working yet as the other platforms also need to make adjustments to enable such interoperability. A few months ago, a similar screen was added to an Android beta of WhatsApp. It is not yet clear when this feature will be available to all users, but it is likely before March 7. That is the date on which the Digital Markets Act comes into force.