WhatsApp, a major update is coming (which also affects Facebook). Here’s what’s changing.
There are many expected changes (and news) coming to WhatsApp. Meta, the owner of the most used messaging app in the world, continues its work to open up to competition, as required by the European Union within the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The updates coming to WhatsApp should allow Mark Zuckerberg’s company to finally align with European regulations.
The most urgent issue, on which Meta is already working, concerns the interoperability of WhatsApp and Messenger, as well as the opening of its services to competitor platforms.
In recent days, Meta announced on its blog the arrival of new features on WhatsApp and Messenger for European users. These updates could change the way we use these apps forever.
Meta will notify you of third-party messaging apps
On its blog, Meta explains: "We’ve heard loud and clear from other messaging services that the option to connect with people who use other apps should be clear and easy to find".
As a result, Mark Zuckerberg’s company will inform WhatsApp users - via notification - of the existence of other messaging services. Likewise, "we will notify users whenever a new third-party messaging application becomes available".
A seemingly low-impact change, but we’re talking about turning a spotlight on some lesser-known applications that could undermine the app’s primacy over time. Through simple notifications, WhatsApp and Messenger users (of which there are many) will be able to discover other applications and therefore stop using Meta’s ones.
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Two ways to organize messages
On both WhatsApp and Messenger, Meta plans to offer two ways to categorize your messages from third-party apps, “combined” or “separated.”
First, you’ll be able to completely separate messages from third-party apps from your WhatsApp or Messenger home screen. Messages from third-party apps will then be in a separate folder.
But you’ll also be able to choose to have all your messages in a single inbox. So whether they’re from Messenger, WhatsApp, or a third-party app, all your messages will be available in one place.
New Message Features
Finally, Meta explains that it has gone beyond the DMA regulation by integrating new message features such as quick reactions, direct replies, and read receipts.
But that’s not all. In compliance with the DMA, Meta will allow the creation of groups between different applications during 2025. In 2027, it will be possible to make voice/video calls between different applications.
Original article published on Money.it Italy 2024-09-12 16:41:51. Original title: Queste 2 grandi novità cambiano WhatsApp per sempre
