WhatsApp is preparing to launch a major change, so that chat history backup will no longer be limited to Google Drive or iCloud, but can be stored directly on Meta’s own servers. according to Latest reports from WABetaInfo, this feature is currently in the testing phase. In the future, it will operate in an end-to-end encryption manner and provide two backup options, free and paid. The goal is to allow users to have more flexible backup options while reducing dependence on third-party cloud services.
WhatsApp doesn’t want to rely on third-party services and is building its own encrypted cloud backup space
For many years, WhatsApp’s backup mechanism has been dependent on Google Drive (Android) and iCloud (iOS). Although this approach is convenient, it also makes users’ backup space restricted by Google or Apple’s storage policies. Especially after Google canceled “WhatsApp backup is not counted in the capacity”, many Android users began to receive frequent “storage space is about to run out” notifications, and were forced to consider upgrading Google One.
Meta obviously sees this pain point, so it plans to launch its own backup service. According to the current test information, users will be able to freely choose “WhatsApp (Meta)” or “Google” among the backup providers. This not only makes the backup source more flexible, but also means that WhatsApp is gradually withdrawing core functions from external platforms into its own ecosystem.
According to the exposed details, Meta’s backup service will be divided into two options:
- Free plan: 2GB backup space
- Paid plan: 50GB backup space for $0.99
It has not yet been confirmed whether the $0.99 fee is a monthly fee or an annual fee, but judging from WhatsApp’s consistent pricing strategy, this price is quite competitive. If it is an annual fee, it can almost be said to be a symbolic fee; if it is a monthly fee, it is also much cheaper than Google One’s entry-level plan. It is worth noting that WABetaInfo also mentioned that it is still unclear whether the 2GB free space will be open to all users. Another possibility is that free space is only provided to WhatsApp Plus subscribers, while the 50GB paid plan may become one of the additional benefits of WhatsApp Plus. These details still need to be officially announced.
Since the backup will be stored on Meta’s servers, the outside world will naturally be concerned about privacy and security issues. WhatsApp emphasizes that all backups will be processed with end-to-end encryption and Meta cannot read the content. The goal of these measures is to reassure users that even if backups are no longer in Google or Apple’s cloud, their data is still protected at the highest level. Security mechanisms include:
- Backups are password protected
- Access using fingerprint, facial recognition or app lock
- Passwords are stored in the user’s password manager
- Backups are encrypted with a 64-bit encryption key
This new feature may be the most practical good news for many Android users. Many people have relied on the free 15GB of Google Drive space for a long time, but WhatsApp backups often take up several gigabytes and often occupy most of the capacity. When Google keeps reminding you of “insufficient storage space”, users often have no choice but to pay to upgrade Google One. This is almost a perfect solution for users who want to use Google Spaces but don’t want to pay.
From a more macro perspective, Meta’s launch of its own backup service is not simply to save space for users, but is part of WhatsApp’s long-term strategy. This change could have several long-term effects:
- WhatsApp ecosystem is more independent and no longer restricted by Google/Apple
- Meta can more directly control the backup experience and feature updates
- More paid value-added services may be launched in the future
- The value of WhatsApp Plus may increase as a result
In other words, this is not just an update to the backup function, but a key step for WhatsApp to gradually expand its infrastructure and create a more complete service system.
Source: KOCPC Chinese