WhatsApp to support third-party chats

Meta has unveiled its plans for integrating third-party chats into WhatsApp and Messenger for users in the European Union.

This change, required by the EU's Digital Markets Act, will allow users to merge or separate WhatsApp and Messenger chats with third-party services like iMessage, Telegram, and Signal.

New features include notifications when third-party chats can be linked, support for rich messaging features such as reactions, direct replies, and read receipts, and the option to create groups with users from other platforms.

Meta plans to add support for third-party voice and video calls by 2027.