There has been a pretty major WhatsApp update recently, set to change the way we use the app forever. Since its inception, the WhatsApp development team has been strict on the application being used in isolation, preventing collaboration or interaction with other apps. However, this is all being reversed this year, as the engineering director of WhatsApp, Mr Brouwer, has announced plans to introduce interoperability.
So, what exactly does interoperability mean? In essence, WhatsApp users will be able to send and receive messages to and from contacts on other messaging channels and apps, such as Telegram, iMessage, and potentially many more, without having to change over from the WhatsApp app. The excitement over this update is palpable, and it’s no surprise. For starters, interoperability will make messaging friends and family incredibly easy, and will mean that contacts can use different messaging platforms from one another, and still be able to connect.
Although this update brings with it huge benefits, WhatsApp still has a long way to go before it catches up with some other messaging apps, which have already introduced a host of additional features and measures to improve user experience. For example, Telegram not only offers a way for people to communicate securely with each other, but also for games and puzzles to be played. Some of the most popular types of games Telegram offers include online games, tic-tac-toe, and quizzes, all of which can be played thanks to bots that users can add to their messaging groups. Telegram, in particular, are finding popularity with users who don’t wish to undergo the extensive ID checks required by desktop online games, yet these bots still allow players to enjoy real money games. More casual games are beneficial as they encourage socialization among groups, and let developers easily release their games, as they have low barriers of entry and low costs of development compared to more traditional methods of releasing games.
Apps like Telegram also score higher than WhatsApp in other ways, such as group chats and creating channels. The capacity for a group chat in Telegram is a staggering 200,000, whereas WhatsApp group chats only have a capacity of 1,024. There is more of an entrepreneurial angle to Telegram, thanks to its channels. These are different to chats in the sense that only the person who created the channel is able to broadcast messages. Many people use channels to promote digital products or services or create communities with people who share similar interests. WhatsApp is yet to tap into this opportunity, but perhaps interoperability is the beginning of this expansion.
There are other concerns surrounding the update, especially from those who use WhatsApp because of its security. Many are asking the question of if the app will continue to deploy end-to-end encryption alongside interoperability. For WhatsApp to successfully implement this new aspect of their software, they will need to reassure users that their data is secure and their messages still private between sender and recipient. Some will be happy to know that the interoperability is opt-in, meaning that if you want to partake in cross-platform messaging you can, but it is not about to become a new cornerstone of WhatsApp.
At this point, not all details on how the interoperability between WhatsApp and other messaging services like Google Messages or Telegram will work have been revealed to the public. It is most likely that in the beginning stages, users will only be able to send and receive text messages, with photos, videos, and voice notes being available at a later date. What we do know currently is that the update did not come out of a desire by WhatsApp developers to be more open with other messaging apps. Instead, interoperability was implemented due to pressure from EU lawmakers. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act is targeting giants in the tech industry and asking them to open their platforms in order to encourage healthy competition and give users a higher power of choice. Whilst WhatsApp may have introduced interoperability in its own time, the push from the EU has sped up the timeline considerably: it was either to comply with the guidelines or face sanctions.
Regardless of the wider implications that the interoperability update will bring, it’s certain that the next few months will be interesting for WhatsApp and its users. Of course, there will be a big uptake in people choosing to opt-in to the new feature, and embracing the change, using it to finally connect with their iMessage and Telegram contacts. However, we may also see more people switching to other secure messaging apps, either not wanting to engage with interoperability or seeing the additional benefits that these platforms provide. For the WhatsApp team, maintaining the trust of their users and ensuring data privacy will be paramount.
