WhatsApp Working on Its Own Encrypted Cloud Backup to Reduce Reliance on Google Drive: Report

WhatsApp is working on its own cloud backup service, according to details leaked by feature tracker WABetaInfo. The new solution could help the Meta-owned instant messaging platform to reduce its reliance on third-party services and give users more control over their data and storage. This could allow users to choose between WhatsApp’s in-house backup system and existing options like Google Drive or iCloud in the future. The encrypted backup feature is expected to include 2GB of free storage. For paid users, the platform may offer more storage. The backup could be secured using passkeys and encryption keys.

WhatsApp Could Launch Encrypted In-House Cloud Storage

According to a new post by the feature tracker, WhatsApp is readying its own encrypted cloud storage backup service. This update could offer WhatsApp more control over backup management. The report includes a screenshot previewing the upcoming feature, suggesting that Android users will get two choices for backing up their chats: Google Drive or WhatsApp’s own cloud storage.

Photo Credit: WABetaInfo 

 

WhatsApp’s own cloud storage is said to include 2GB of free space. The company could offer a paid tier for the service with up to 50GB of storage. The screenshot indicates that the cloud backup users will reportedly be able to protect their data using a passkey, a normal password, or a 64-digit encryption key.

All backups stored on WhatsApp’s cloud will reportedly remain end-to-end encrypted by default. Launching its own cloud storage will help WhatsApp reduce dependence on third-party services like Google Drive and iCloud.

WhatsApp has not yet confirmed the existence of a backup option. It is likely to be under development and could be released in a future update.

Meanwhile, Meta has been rolling out several new features to the platform lately. It is said to be gearing up to roll out a business chat filtering feature for organising conversations with businesses. A username system is also said to be in the works for creating unique usernames. Further, the company launched a dedicated app for Apple CarPlay in supported vehicles recently. It also offers noise cancellation support for voice and video calls, currently available to a limited group of users.