WhatsApp is working on its own cloud backup solution.
AI image: ChatGPT
WhatsApp currently uses iCloud as a cloud backup provider on iOS. Apple’s free 5GB of iCloud storage can fill up quickly, especially if you have years of WhatsApp chats and media. It also makes moving from an iPhone to an Android phone more complicated, as WhatsApp cannot restore iCloud backups on Android.
That may not be the case for much longer. WhatsApp appears to be working on its own cloud backup solution, which could solve both of these problems.
An alternative to iCloud storage for WhatsApp cloud backups
WABetaInfo spotted an option to select the backup provider in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS. It will supposedly offer up to 2GB of free cloud storage space. If that’s not enough, the beta suggests WhatsApp could offer 50GB of additional storage for just $0.99 per month. It also references a 1TB plan, though its pricing remains unclear.
While that’s considerably less free storage than iCloud or Google Drive offer, it should make backing up and restoring chats across iPhone and Android devices much easier.
Photo: WABetaInfo
Mandatory E2EE for WhatsApp cloud backups
The report also suggests end-to-end encryption will be mandatory for WhatsApp cloud backups. That’s a notable change from iCloud, where end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp backups is optional. It should also reassure privacy-conscious users, as no one else—not even WhatsApp—would be able to access their backups.
WhatsApp is still working on its own cloud backup solution. So, it may take a while before it launches publicly. But whenever it does, it should be a welcome addition and make cloud backups more convenient.
If you don’t pay for iCloud storage, moving to WhatsApp’s own cloud backup solution would free up another 2GB of space in your account.
More importantly, right now, moving WhatsApp chats from an iPhone to Android or vice versa is always a hassle. Cloud backups cannot be restored across different platforms. WhatsApp’s own cloud backup solution will finally solve that problem for good.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
You can reach out to him at mail[at]rajeshpandey.me.
