WABetaInfo
WhatsApp for Android beta update introduces a new screen called Third-party chats, according to WABetaInfo. The screen is not yet functional or accessible by users, but it suggests that Meta’s encrypted messaging app is preparing for cross-platform compatibility.
This version 2.23.19.8 beta update comes after the European Commission declared that Meta, WhatsApp’s owner, is a “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA requires gatekeepers to ensure the openness of their digital services and to interoperate with third-party messaging apps by March 2024.
The DMA also mandates that gatekeepers allow users to uninstall pre-installed apps or use alternative app stores. In response to the DMA, both Meta and Microsoft are developing their own mobile app stores.
The European Commission is also investigating whether Apple’s iMessage and Microsoft’s Bing search engine, Edge browser, and advertising service also qualify as gatekeepers under the new regulation.