The latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android (version 2.23.19.8), released today, includes a new page called “Third-Party Chats.” Currently, the settings for this feature do not work, but its title suggests that this is likely the first step to open Meta’s messaging app for compatibility across multiple platforms.
Just a few days ago, the European Commission confirmed that WhatsApp’s owner, Meta, meets the definition of a “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires communication apps like WhatsApp to be able to interact with third-party messaging apps by March 2024.