WhatsApp is a private and more secure messaging application than iMessage. Soon, these two applications could be communicating with each other. In the European Union, the two digital giants will be making their services interoperable. If you know about other aspects of WhatsApp, such as reading a deleted message, you can read our article on : how to read a deleted message on WhatsApp
GAFAM's obligations
GAFAM are obliged to make messaging services inter-compatible. Indeed, the DMA or Digital Markets Act is a law that includes several rules on digital. This means that certain services in the sector will be subject to stricter competition rules. To identify these services, there are two criteria:
- More than 45 million monthly active users
- A market capitalization of 75 billion euros.
This law was passed in November and came into force in May. We were waiting for the European Commission to announce the services concerned before applying the law. 22 GAFAM services are designated as holding the keys to the internet and digital, plus a few newcomers from the East, namely :
- Alphabet or Google
- Amazon
- Meta or Facebook
- Apple
- Microsoft
- ByteDance, the owner of TikTok.
A 6-month deadline for companies
WhatsApp, iMessage and Messenger are set to become interoperable apps. Specifically, GAFAM members are expected to make their messaging apps interoperable with those of competitors. The aim is to let users decide which applications to pre-install on their devices. To achieve this, companies have six months to implement the law to avoid paying expensive fines. In a few months' time, it will be possible to send an iMessage message to WhatsApp or via Messenger. Find out more about WhatsApp's new options here whatsapp new option to disable video messages
In short, this measure puts an end to ecosystems. However, Apple is not happy about this change. According to the firm's spokesperson, the company is very concerned about the risks that DMA poses to users' privacy and data security. On the other hand, this decision is entirely understandable, as it's clear that European countries want to ban end-to-end encryption from WhatsApp and iMessage.
