WhatsApp Releases Third-Party Chat Features Amidst New EU Regulation!

It all started with the EU's decision to designate six tech giants, namely Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft, as gatekeepers. The EU has categorized these companies into segments, each encompassing core platform services.

Interoperability is at the heart of the EU's vision for messaging platforms, as articulated in 2022. The report says, according to the EU “interoperability for messaging platforms was a key requirement for messaging services from gatekeepers.”

This move towards interoperability aligns with the EU's broader mission to foster competition and break down digital silos that have long dominated the tech industry.

According to Andreas Schwab, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur, “The agreement ushers in a new era of tech regulation worldwide.” He further continued, “The Digital Markets Act puts an end to the ever-increasing dominance of Big Tech companies. From now on, they must show that they also allow for fair competition on the internet. The new rules will help enforce that basic principle. Europe is thus ensuring more competition, more innovation and more choice for users.

The report says, for instance, Google (owned by one of the designated gatekeepers, Alphabet) operates many services that can be classified as gatekeeping services. These include intermediation services such as Google Maps, Google Play and Google Shopping, as well as its advertising delivery system. Furthermore, Google manages a web browser (Chrome), an operating system (Android), a search engine and a video-sharing platform (YouTube).

Meta, another prominent gatekeeper, occupies several categories as well. The company boasts two dominant social networks, Facebook and Instagram, an intermediation service known as Meta Marketplace and an expansive advertising platform. However, it's also active in messaging apps where Meta stands out as the clear leader, cementing its influence over diverse facets of the digital sphere.

WhatsApp's newly introduced feature, "third-party chats," has made its debut in the Android version of WhatsApp. Positioned as a distinct section within the app - this feature is poised to revolutionize how users interact with messaging services beyond WhatsApp's ecosystem.

While the current version of this section remains inactive, the concept behind it is groundbreaking – enabling users to receive messages from individuals using alternative messaging platforms seamlessly.

Introducing the "third-party chats" feature in WhatsApp's beta version represents the first tangible example of how the EU's Digital Markets Act is poised to impact the tech industry.