Europe: WhatsApp opens for third-party apps (opens in new tab)

(faq.whatsapp.com)

45 pointsschnatterer3mo ago17 comments

17 comments

I wanted to try this, but it's not possible (yet?) for regular folks apparently.

Supposedly the two apps "BirdyChat" and "Hiket" are WA compatible. Both are waitlist only.

Even after searching for ~15 minutes, I could find no information about how to become such a compatible provider.

I hope this situation will improve drastically, but it also looks like Meta will do whatever they can to make it as hard and annoying as possible, as they don't want to lose market share. Disappointing.

toast03mo ago

> Even after searching for ~15 minutes, I could find no information about how to become such a compatible provider.

I think that info is here:

https://developers.facebook.com/m/messaging-interoperability...

Search terms: whatsapp dma program

Disclosure: I worked for WhatsApp until 2019, which included detecting 3rd party applications and blocking them when they didn't follow (unpublished) specifications.

s1mplicissimus3mo ago

Thanks for the link. For anyone interested, here's the process outlined in the document, I'm gonna try to apply and see where that leads.

# Steps to interoperate with Messenger or WhatsApp

Note: Separate documentation and applications are required for Messenger and/or WhatsApp

    Review: Review the Reference Offer, Developer Documentation Overview, and Application Guidelines above.
    Apply: If you believe you qualify, complete the form that’s linked in the Application Guidelines.
    Review: If you meet eligibility requirements, we will send you our detailed Developer Documentation under NDA for review of the detailed technical requirements for interoperating.
    Sign: If you can fulfill the relevant terms and technical requirements set out in the Reference Offer and want to request interoperability, sign the Interoperability Agreement that we will provide to you.
    Build: Start building interoperability.
    Enable: Complete the milestones outlined in the detailed Developer Documentation to enable interoperability.
    Launch: Work with Messenger and/or WhatsApp on a joint plan to launch interoperability.

wkat42423mo ago

Yeah Id love to officially link my matrix instance to it. But they have lots of red tape, and outrageous requirements like wanting to know the IP of every end user that is bridged.

Luckily the user bridge works pretty ok.

zkmon3mo ago

There are already a huge number of apps running on whatsapp in India for booking of cooking gas refill, car insurance renewal etc. Basically, user interaction is driven using chat until all inputs are captured. I think this is very effective as it requires familiarity with only one app.

Whatsapp as universal user interface.

kakadu3mo ago

Is this one of the instances where European regulations hurt businesses?

wkat42423mo ago

I doubt it. Both apps that are supported have nonexistent userbases in Europe.

nubg3mo ago

This seems pretty big news?

Perhaps the start of instant messaging becoming more like email?

ekjhgkejhgk3mo ago

Start of facebook's malicious compliance.

arp2423mo ago

Is there something new here? Because it seems the same as the DMA compliance they had to do in early 2024?

See e.g.: WhatsApp Messaging Interoperability - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39633936 - Mar 2024 (146 comments)

HelloUsername3mo ago

It was discussed couple days ago as well

"WhatsApp will become interoperable with other messaging apps in Europe" - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46107109 - 01-dec-2025 - 88 comments

kevin0613mo ago

No, lol, WhatsApp remains in full control of user IDs. Maybe if they make WA federated, but we both know this is not gonna happen.

mmh00003mo ago

https://delta.chat/en/

kasabali3mo ago

When I open the page all I see is:

> Chats with third-party apps are only available in select regions and may not be available to you.

Even the FAQ page is geo restricted. What a shitty attitude.

gschizas3mo ago

I'm in Europe and I see the same page. I don't think it's geoblocked.

kasabali3mo ago

oh, that's the answer :d

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

17 comments

s1mplicissimus3mo ago

I wanted to try this, but it's not possible (yet?) for regular folks apparently.

Supposedly the two apps "BirdyChat" and "Hiket" are WA compatible. Both are waitlist only.

Even after searching for ~15 minutes, I could find no information about how to become such a compatible provider.

toast03mo ago

> Even after searching for ~15 minutes, I could find no information about how to become such a compatible provider.

I think that info is here:

https://developers.facebook.com/m/messaging-interoperability...

Search terms: whatsapp dma program

Disclosure: I worked for WhatsApp until 2019, which included detecting 3rd party applications and blocking them when they didn't follow (unpublished) specifications.

s1mplicissimus3mo ago

Thanks for the link. For anyone interested, here's the process outlined in the document, I'm gonna try to apply and see where that leads.

# Steps to interoperate with Messenger or WhatsApp

Note: Separate documentation and applications are required for Messenger and/or WhatsApp

    Review: Review the Reference Offer, Developer Documentation Overview, and Application Guidelines above.
    Apply: If you believe you qualify, complete the form that’s linked in the Application Guidelines.
    Review: If you meet eligibility requirements, we will send you our detailed Developer Documentation under NDA for review of the detailed technical requirements for interoperating.
    Sign: If you can fulfill the relevant terms and technical requirements set out in the Reference Offer and want to request interoperability, sign the Interoperability Agreement that we will provide to you.
    Build: Start building interoperability.
    Enable: Complete the milestones outlined in the detailed Developer Documentation to enable interoperability.
    Launch: Work with Messenger and/or WhatsApp on a joint plan to launch interoperability.

wkat42423mo ago

Yeah Id love to officially link my matrix instance to it. But they have lots of red tape, and outrageous requirements like wanting to know the IP of every end user that is bridged.

Luckily the user bridge works pretty ok.

zkmon3mo ago

Whatsapp as universal user interface.

kakadu3mo ago

Is this one of the instances where European regulations hurt businesses?

wkat42423mo ago

I doubt it. Both apps that are supported have nonexistent userbases in Europe.

nubg3mo ago

This seems pretty big news?

Perhaps the start of instant messaging becoming more like email?

ekjhgkejhgk3mo ago

Start of facebook's malicious compliance.

arp2423mo ago

Is there something new here? Because it seems the same as the DMA compliance they had to do in early 2024?

See e.g.: WhatsApp Messaging Interoperability - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39633936 - Mar 2024 (146 comments)

HelloUsername3mo ago

It was discussed couple days ago as well

"WhatsApp will become interoperable with other messaging apps in Europe" - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46107109 - 01-dec-2025 - 88 comments

kevin0613mo ago

No, lol, WhatsApp remains in full control of user IDs. Maybe if they make WA federated, but we both know this is not gonna happen.

mmh00003mo ago

https://delta.chat/en/

kasabali3mo ago

When I open the page all I see is:

> Chats with third-party apps are only available in select regions and may not be available to you.

Even the FAQ page is geo restricted. What a shitty attitude.

gschizas3mo ago

I'm in Europe and I see the same page. I don't think it's geoblocked.

kasabali3mo ago

oh, that's the answer :d

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse