WhatsApp will begin charging you for this feature that used to be free.
Meta, the owner of the popular WhatsApp app, has been trying for some time to start charging its iOS and Android app users. After several failed attempts it seems to have finally succeeded and will begin charging for its services: namely, for backups. This would have stopped the addition of ads to monetize the popular app, but now it seems they will try a different approach.
In 2018, WhatsApp made a deal with Google to not count WhatsApp backups towards users’ available storage space. However, the 15GB of free storage provided by Google isn't enough for many users to back up their data, forcing them to regularly free up space to avoid data loss in case of problems or device changes.
So much so that WhatsApp users who want to back up their chats have to free up space in their Google accounts. Now, Meta is looking to change this by allowing users to save their backups to other cloud platforms like iCloud or Google Drive. However, WABetaInfo reports that this service will be paid.
Accordingly, pending official confirmation from Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, the company is expected to offer a free 2GB backup package. However, this space is insufficient for most WhatsApp users. In fact, WhatsApp users will be able to choose where to store their backups, either on Google—provided they have sufficient storage space—or directly through the WhatsApp application itself.
In this case, WhatsApp will offer up to 50GB of storage for $0.99, though it's unclear whether this will be a monthly or annual payment. Furthermore, Meta will certainly not have access to its customers' backups, as conversations and their contents will be protected by an access key, accessible only via password, fingerprint, or facial recognition, with end-to-end encryption using a 64-digit security key.
WABetaInfo also didn't clarify whether the free 2GB package would be available globally, only in specific markets, or as part of a WhatsApp Plus offer. We'll have to wait for official confirmation for more details, although everything points to Meta making significant changes to WhatsApp to improve its future profitability.