WhatsApp and Telegram, two of the most popular instant messaging apps, are about to join forces. This unexpected collaboration is due to the new Digital Markets Act passed by the European Parliament, which aims to revolutionize the digital landscape and benefit users by removing barriers between competing applications.
The Digital Markets Act, also known as the DMA, is a groundbreaking regulation that aims to mark a turning point in the digital sector. This controversial legislation aims to protect users and limit the powers of tech companies.
One of the crucial points of this regulation is interoperability between applications, an aspect that companies must respect at all costs, according to the report of Computer Hoy.
The DMA requires that instant messaging applications are no longer isolated and that users can use them in an undifferentiated manner. To ensure compliance with these rules, fines of up to 20% of the turnover of companies that do not comply will be imposed.
Will they comply with the new measures?
WhatsApp is already working to implement the technologies necessary to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Information has leaked, courtesy of WABetaInfo, revealing that the app is developing the ability to interact with other messaging apps.
A screenshot shows a new section of the app called “Third-party chats,” meaning users will be able to initiate conversations with people using other apps.
https://twitter.com/WABetaInfo/status/1700921756129636433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Although no specific date has yet been set for the implementation of this new feature, WhatsApp and Telegram will allow users to send and receive messages between the two platforms. However, this interoperability will not be limited to these two applications, since it will apply to all instant messaging applications.
The applications with the largest number of users will be the most affected by this new regulation, as it aims to end their domination and return the power to the users, allowing them to use any application to communicate with their contacts, instead of being limited to the most popular application.
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