Overview
- WhatsApp, which surfaced new details Tuesday, is developing its own cloud backup option that will roll out to beta testers before a wider release.
- Users will be able to choose where to store chat backups, either on Google Drive or iCloud as today or on WhatsApp’s dedicated cloud.
- If stored on WhatsApp’s servers, backups will be end‑to‑end encrypted by default with a passkey as the suggested method, or users can pick a password or a 64‑digit key.
- Reports point to up to 2 GB of free space on WhatsApp’s cloud and a possible 50 GB paid tier near $0.99, with all pricing and availability subject to change.
- The shift could free up space in Google Drive and iCloud accounts that back up photos and files, which may cut the need to buy extra storage for large WhatsApp archives.