The popularity of Zoho Group's instant messaging app, Arattai, is waning. Last month, the app was downloaded by millions, making it a popular alternative to WhatsApp. Once a top trending app on the Google Play Store, it has now dropped from the trending list. Zoho Group co-founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu recently talked about interoperability for platforms like instant messaging and UPI. Users will soon be able to access this feature on Meta's instant messaging platform, WhatsApp. This will solve a major problem for millions of users.

What is Interoperability?

Interoperability means interoperability, i.e., the ability to communicate between platforms. Simply put, just as platforms like email and UPI allow you to make payments or send messages from one app to another, instant messaging apps could also see a similar feature. You'll be able to send messages from WhatsApp to Telegram, or from Telegram to X. Currently, you can only communicate within one platform.

Feature Coming Soon to WhatsApp

Millions of WhatsApp users will soon receive this feature. According to a report by WABetaInfo, this feature is being tested for WhatsApp. Select beta users have already started receiving this feature. Users will be able to send messages from WhatsApp to other messaging platforms. Arattai's co-founder recently stated on his X handle that the company is in talks with iSirit's Sharad Sharma about an interoperability feature for its messaging platform.

On Arattai, we have initiated discussions with Sharad Sharma of iSpirt, the group that did the technical work to make UPI happen, to standardize and publish the messaging protocols. I am a huge fan of UPI and hugely respect the work the team did. Sharad is a good friend and he…

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) September 30, 2025

Users in the Arattai app will be able to send and receive messages from other instant messaging apps. This feature will work similarly to UPI and email services. The Zoho Group CEO believes this could eliminate monopolies. Users will no longer be dependent on a single app or require multiple apps for messaging.

Reports suggest that Meta is testing this feature for its messaging app WhatsApp due to the European Union's Digital Markets Act. The European Union's Digital Markets Act requires instant messaging apps to maintain open communication channels for their services to prevent monopolies. Currently, this feature is only available in BirdyChat. Users of this app can send and receive messages from other messaging platforms.

Native instant messaging app Arattai will soon offer users end-to-end encryption, similar to WhatsApp. The company has announced that it will soon roll out this feature. According to reports, this cross-compatibility feature will only be available in the European Union. It's unclear whether it will be available in other regions.