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Leaks Point to WhatsApp’s Encrypted First-Party Cloud Backups in Development

The unconfirmed option could relieve storage limits on third-party clouds like Google Drive or iCloud.

Overview

  • WABetaInfo, which published details Tuesday, reported WhatsApp is developing an unannounced in-house cloud for encrypted chat backups.
  • Leaked Android screenshots show a new setting that lets users pick Google Drive or WhatsApp cloud as the backup destination.
  • Backups stored on WhatsApp’s servers would be end-to-end encrypted by default with choices that include a passkey, a password, or a 64-digit key.
  • The plan reportedly includes about 2 GB of free storage, with a 50 GB tier near $0.99 still provisional and subject to change.
  • WhatsApp has not confirmed the feature, and reporting indicates it will reach beta testers before any broader release.