WhatsApp is undoubtedly one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world. The Meta-owned app was among the first to offer end-to-end encryption on all messages, offering users added security and peace-of-mind.
Now, a potential new feature has been spotted on the app – and it's one I'm really excited about. As spotted by WABetaInfo, the latest version of the app shows a feature called "Third-Party Chats", which is currently under development.
That's likely to be in relation to impending EU legislation which would force messaging apps to interact with one another. Essentially, I should be able to message you on WhatsApp, and you read it on Messenger, and vice versa.
It's a really exciting change. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of some messaging apps, but can't really use them because no-one else does. With this setup, I would be able to make use of whichever messaging platform worked best for me, and message others on whichever one worked best for them.
The window found in WhatsApp was left bare, with no signs that it's currently a functional part of the app. However, seeing it appear at all is a positive sign, and could mean a bigger update – that being the full functionality – is coming soon.
It's far from the only upgrade WhatsApp has received in recent months. In fact, the platform is rolling out new features at a rate of knots right now.
We saw a new feature which allows users to use videos like voice notes, adding short snippets of video to their chats. We also saw the addition of Channels, which looks to keep people looped in with the communities which matter to them. Last month, we even saw the addition of screen sharing when taking part in a WhatsApp video call.
This latest update could be the biggest one yet, though. It stands to totally shake up the way people interact with third-party messaging apps – in fact it could change the way messaging works as a whole!
We'll certainly be keeping an eye out for more details on this one. While it still looks to be in the works for now, it's something which is almost guaranteed to happen. The EU legislation is very unlikely to change. For now, then, we'll just have to sit and wait for more concrete information.
