WhatsApp is building its own cloud for backups, and iPhone users are next
WhatsApp is developing a proprietary cloud storage solution for chat backups, allowing users to bypass iCloud or Google Drive. This feature, currently in beta testing for iOS, aims to provide an alternative storage option for users facing storage quotas on their existing cloud providers.
Why it matters
This shift could significantly impact how millions of users manage their digital storage and data privacy, potentially reducing reliance on major platform ecosystems like Apple and Google.
WhatsApp is testing a way to store your chat backups on its own servers instead of Apple's or Google's. The latest sign came this week from WABetaInfo, the site that digs through unreleased WhatsApp code, which found the feature under development in the WhatsApp beta for iOS build 26.28.10.16 distributed through TestFlight. Backups saved to WhatsApp's own cloud would be end-to-end encrypted by default, with no option to turn that off.
The article provides a factual report on a technical development without taking a stance on the company's motives.
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