Zoho’s Arattai May Soon Allow Chats With WhatsApp Users: All You Need To Know

WhatsApp might soon let users connect with people on other messaging apps and Zoho’s Arattai could be one of the first to benefit. In what could be a major shift for global communication, the Meta-owned messaging giant is reportedly testing a new cross-platform messaging feature that would allow users from apps like Arattai to send messages directly to WhatsApp users.

WhatsApp Tests Cross-App Messaging

According to WaBetaInfo, the new feature has been spotted in beta versions of WhatsApp, currently being tested among users in the European Union. The feature will enable people using different messaging platforms to chat without switching apps a move that could redefine the way messaging ecosystems function.

This update aligns with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires major tech companies to open their platforms for interoperability with other apps. Essentially, it means WhatsApp users may soon be able to message users of other platforms seamlessly a first in the messaging world.

Arattai’s Role In The New Chat Landscape

India’s very own Arattai, launched by Zoho, entered the market as a made-in-India alternative to WhatsApp. Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu has previously emphasized the importance of making Arattai cross-platform, allowing users to communicate freely across different apps.

While there’s no direct link between WhatsApp’s new feature and Arattai’s roadmap, the timing is interesting. Both seem to share a vision for a more open and connected chat ecosystem, where users are not confined to a single app.

Regulations Or Innovation? Why WhatsApp Is Doing This

While many see this move as an innovation, experts suggest that regulatory pressure from the EU might be the key driver. The Digital Markets Act aims to reduce monopolies and make big platforms interoperable. As a “gatekeeper platform,” WhatsApp is required to ensure users can communicate with others beyond Meta’s ecosystem.

This regulation could be the main reason why the cross-platform feature is being tested first in Europe before expanding to other regions.

Security Challenges Remain

One major hurdle in linking messaging apps lies in security and encryption standards. WhatsApp is known for its end-to-end encryption, which ensures only the sender and receiver can read the messages. However, not all apps meet these same standards.

For instance, Arattai currently does not support end-to-end encryption, which could make direct communication between the two apps technically complex. Other apps like Signal and Telegram, which already use similar encryption, may find it easier to connect with WhatsApp under this new framework.

Could This Change How We Chat?

If successfully implemented, this feature could make WhatsApp a truly interoperable platform, allowing users to communicate across different apps effortlessly. For users, it could mean fewer downloads and smoother conversations across platforms much like how UPI enables instant payments across banks and apps.

For new players like Arattai, interoperability could help overcome the “network effect” challenge where users prefer staying on apps where their contacts already are. Cross-platform messaging could level the playing field, giving smaller apps a fair chance to grow.

The feature is still in testing, and there’s no word yet on when it will roll out globally. For now, it seems WhatsApp’s cross-platform chat experiment is a step toward a more open digital future one where users, not apps, define how communication flows.

If successful, this could mark the beginning of a new era of universal messaging and apps like Arattai could play a key role in shaping that transformation.