WhatsApp is developing a proprietary cloud storage option for iPhone chat backups, giving users an alternative to iCloud for the first time, according to app tinkerer WABetaInfo.
Code found in the WhatsApp for iOS beta (version 26.28.10.16), available through TestFlight, suggests that users will eventually be able to choose their preferred backup destination directly from the app’s chat backup settings. iCloud will remain the default, however.
The feature is reminiscent of one that WABetaInfo spotted in development for Android in April, which should allow users of Google’s platform to store backups on Google Drive.
As part of this plan, WhatsApp would include 2GB of free storage on its own servers, and there would be a 50GB tier priced at around $0.99 per month, similar to Apple’s entry-level iCloud+ plan. There is also reportedly a 1TB option in the works, although tiers and pricing could still change before the backup feature goes live.
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Image: WABetaInfo
Notably, backups kept on WhatsApp servers will be protected by end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default, with no way to disable encryption. This is firmer protection than that offered by iCloud backups, whose users must enable encryption manually by enabling Advanced Data Protection (ADP). WhatsApp would recommend securing backups with a password, but a 64-digit password or key would also work.
WABetaInfo says the feature is still in development and not yet working for beta testers, and WhatsApp has not yet indicated when it plans to officially launch the backup alternative.
