• WhatsApp has added a new screen called “Third-party chats” to its beta version for Android.
• The DMA requires messaging apps to work with other third-party apps by 2024.
• The European Commission is probing Apple and Microsoft’s services for DMA compliance.

Today, a recent WhatsApp for Android beta update (version 2.23.19.8) introduces a new screen known as “Third-party chats,” as mentioned by WABetaInfo.

At present, users cannot access or use this screen, as pointed out by WABetaInfo. However, its name suggests a potential move toward Meta’s encrypted messaging app becoming compatible across different platforms.

Please review the screenshot provided below. As this feature is still under development, it offers only a sneak peek of what can be expected in the future.

This beta update comes shortly after the European Commission confirmed that Meta, WhatsApp‘s owner, is considered a “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to this classification, communication apps like WhatsApp must ensure they can work with other third-party messaging apps by March 2024.

The main goal of the DMA, as explained in the European Commission’s FAQ, is to prevent gatekeepers from imposing unfair conditions and to ensure the accessibility of essential digital services.

Besides requiring messaging app interoperability, the DMA also states that gatekeepers must enable users to uninstall pre-installed apps and explore alternative app stores.

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Meta and Microsoft have both expressed their plans to create their mobile app stores in response to the DMA. Simultaneously, the European Commission is conducting an investigation to assess whether Apple’s iMessage and Microsoft’s Bing search engine, Edge browser, and advertising service adhere to the requirements outlined in the new regulation.

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