Homegrown Indian instant messaging app Arattai, developed by Chennai-based technology firm Zoho, has been gaining traction over the past few months. Arattai’s founder, Sridhar Vembu, recently called for interoperability across messaging platforms, allowing seamless communication between users of various apps.
This vision might soon turn into reality through WhatsApp. According to a report by WaBetaInfo, WhatsApp is currently testing a cross-platform messaging feature that will allow users to send messages to people on other apps, potentially including Arattai.
While the feature is still being beta tested in Europe, it could pave the way for WhatsApp users to be able to communicate with Arattai users without having to download the Arattai app.
WhatsApp’s decision isn’t entirely voluntary. The update comes in response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, or DMA, a vast regulation designed to curb the dominance of Big Tech firms.
Under the DMA, major messaging services like WhatsApp and Messenger will have to open their communication channels to other apps. They must have interoperability across platforms: users of different apps should be able to send texts, images, and files securely among them, irrespective of the app.
WhatsApp’s current cross-platform messaging supports only one third-party app, BirdyChat, but access can be requested through a developer by meeting WhatsApp’s encryption and privacy standards.
Also Read: Why Arattai Failed to Beat WhatsApp Despite So Much Hype & Government Backing
While Arattai has gained traction as the local alternative to WhatsApp, it currently does not have end-to-end encryption, a key feature in terms of privacy, which WhatsApp has already made mandatory for third-party integrations. Zoho has, however, promised to bring encryption support soon.
In an earlier post this year, Vembu wrote, “These systems need to be interoperable like UPI and email, and not closed like WhatsApp today. We do not want to be a monopoly ever.”
For now, this cross-compatibility feature in WhatsApp is limited to Europe, with direct origins in EU regulations. No plans for expansion into other regions, including India, have been announced by the company. Despite that, the advancement is a noteworthy change, a move towards a more open and interconnected messaging ecosystem that has been envisioned even by the homegrown innovators of India for a long time.