Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, will introduce charges for certain service and utility messages sent by businesses through the WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026.

The development, announced in Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform pricing update in July 2026, is expected to affect businesses that use the platform, formerly known as the WhatsApp Business API, to manage customer communications at scale.

Under the new pricing structure, Meta will charge businesses on a per-message basis for service messages sent within the 24-hour customer service window.

The company said the charges would also apply to qualifying utility messages sent in response to customers within an open 24-hour customer service window.

According to Meta’s developer documentation, “Effective October 1, 2026, Meta will charge on a per-message basis for all service messages, consistent with how Meta charges for template messages.”

The company noted that service messages have not been charged since November 1, 2024.

Meta further stated that utility messages sent in response to users within an open 24-hour customer service window would also become chargeable from October 1.

Utility messages include payment confirmations, order updates, delivery notifications and other transactional communications.

The new policy is expected to have implications for banks, fintech companies, e-commerce platforms, telecommunications operators, logistics firms and large retailers that rely heavily on WhatsApp for customer support and transactional communication.

However, the charges will not apply to ordinary WhatsApp users and are not expected to affect most small businesses using the standard WhatsApp Business application on mobile devices.

Currently, when a customer initiates a conversation with a business, a 24-hour customer service window opens, allowing the business to respond with free-form service messages and certain utility messages without paying Meta.

From October 1, however, businesses using the official WhatsApp Business Platform will pay for those messages on a per-message basis.

Meta has also warned businesses and Solution Providers to ensure that valid payment methods are added to their accounts before the new pricing takes effect.

It said businesses or Solution Providers without a payment method on file by September 30, 2026, would have their service messages stopped once the messages become chargeable on October 1.

For Nigerian businesses, a chargeable utility or service message is expected to cost approximately $0.0101, equivalent to about ₦14 per message based on an exchange rate of ₦1,340 to the dollar.

Marketing messages are considerably more expensive, estimated at about $0.062 per message, or approximately ₦84 at the same exchange rate.

The charges are Meta’s fees and may not represent the total cost incurred by businesses.

Companies that access the WhatsApp Business Platform through Business Solution Providers or third-party platforms may also be required to pay additional provider charges.

For instance, a Nigerian fintech sending 500,000 chargeable service or utility messages in a month could incur about $5,050, equivalent to approximately ₦6.8 million at an exchange rate of ₦1,340 to the dollar, in Meta messaging fees alone.

Industry observers say the financial impact could become substantial for companies sending hundreds of thousands or millions of customer messages monthly, despite the relatively low cost per individual message.

WhatsApp has increasingly become a major communication channel for Nigerian businesses, with financial institutions and fintech companies using the platform for customer support, payment confirmations and transaction-related communication.

Similarly, e-commerce companies, logistics operators and retailers rely on WhatsApp for order confirmations, delivery notifications and other customer interactions.

The latest development forms part of Meta’s broader shift in WhatsApp Business pricing towards a per-message model.

Consequently, Nigerian businesses that depend extensively on the WhatsApp Business Platform for customer service and transactional communications will have to incorporate the new messaging costs into their operating budgets from October 1, 2026.

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The disruption, which affected users in several countries including India, began on Monday evening, prompting widespread complaints across social media.

Users reported receiving a notification stating that their accounts were being reviewed to verify compliance with WhatsApp’s Terms of Service.

The message informed affected users that their account activity and device information were being checked and that a decision would typically be communicated within 24 hours.

During the review period, users were unable to access key WhatsApp features.

Responding to the reports, a WhatsApp spokesperson acknowledged that the company’s automated systems may occasionally make mistakes while attempting to detect abusive activity.

“We are always working to stay ahead of those trying to abuse our service and ban accounts to help keep other users safe. Sometimes we get this wrong and if we do, we try to fix it as quickly as possible to get people back to chatting,” the spokesperson said.

The notification directed users to resources explaining responsible use of the platform and information relating to compromised or stolen accounts.

Several affected users said they had done nothing that violated the platform’s policies and appealed for their accounts to be restored.

One user wrote on social media that the account had been disabled without explanation despite using only the official WhatsApp application, while another said the restriction had disrupted work-related communications.

WhatsApp has not disclosed the number of accounts affected or the cause of the review process.

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The update allows users to do more than send messages and make calls through their vehicle’s infotainment system. They can now listen to and reply to messages, access call history and quickly contact favourite contacts while using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

WhatsApp also announced that users can now create an account directly on the iPad app without linking it to a smartphone as a companion device.

Although registration still requires a phone number and a one-time verification code, the account will function independently on the iPad after setup, the company said.

The messaging platform has also added support for sharing songs from Apple Music and Spotify directly to WhatsApp Status, allowing users to include music in their status updates.

Another new feature enables users to open PDF documents directly within WhatsApp on the web and desktop without downloading them first. Users can also make simple edits, including highlighting and annotating documents inside the app.

The latest additions build on a series of recent updates introduced by WhatsApp.

Earlier this year, the platform launched usernames, allowing users to share their profiles without revealing their phone numbers. Meta also introduced a WhatsApp Plus subscription that offers additional features such as profile customisation, enhanced reactions and expanded status insights.

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According to a government letter reviewed by Reuters, authorities have given WhatsApp three days to explain the feature while instructing the company not to proceed with its launch in India until discussions are concluded.

The move follows WhatsApp’s recent announcement that it had begun rolling out username reservations globally ahead of a wider launch later this year. The feature will allow users to communicate using unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers.

India, WhatsApp’s largest market with more than 500 million users, has raised concerns that the feature could increase online fraud, phishing and impersonation by allowing users to conceal their phone numbers.

The government’s intervention comes weeks after it temporarily blocked Telegram over similar concerns relating to user anonymity.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said the username feature had not yet gone live and would be introduced gradually later this year.

The company added that users would still need a phone number to create a WhatsApp account and that anyone wishing to contact another user must know the person’s exact username.

WhatsApp also said it had built several safeguards into the feature, including limits on how many new users an account can contact and protections against repeated attempts to guess usernames.

According to the government, the proposed feature could make it more difficult to identify malicious actors involved in cyber fraud.

The directive cites India’s Information Technology Act, under which online platforms may lose legal protections if they fail to comply with government due diligence requirements.

Digital rights organisations have questioned the legal basis of the government’s action.

The Internet Freedom Foundation argued that existing laws do not give authorities the power to approve or block new platform features before they are launched.

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The company said username reservations began this week ahead of the feature’s full launch later this year. Users will receive in-app notifications when the option becomes available in their respective countries.

According to WhatsApp, the feature is designed to give users greater control over their privacy by allowing conversations to begin using unique usernames instead of personal phone numbers.

The company said usernames are intended to make connecting with new people more private.

“Sharing a phone number can feel like a big step. That’s because a phone number is personal and it’s tied to so many parts of your life. Sometimes you just want to chat without handing over your digits,” WhatsApp said.

“That’s why we’re introducing usernames for WhatsApp.”

WhatsApp said it opened reservations ahead of the official launch because of its more than three billion users, noting that many people are likely to want similar usernames.

“Starting this week, you can reserve a username to use later this year when we launch this feature. With over three billion people on WhatsApp, a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” the company said.

The platform added that usernames are intended to remain private, with no public directory or search feature. Anyone wishing to contact a user for the first time must already know the person’s exact username.

Once the feature becomes fully available, users and businesses initiating conversations will no longer see recipients’ phone numbers.

WhatsApp is also introducing an optional security feature known as a “username key,” which requires first-time contacts to enter a unique verification key before sending messages.

The company said creators, businesses and organisations will be able to claim usernames that match their existing Instagram or Facebook identities, allowing them to maintain a consistent presence across Meta’s platforms.

For users who do not wish to create their own usernames, WhatsApp will provide an automatic username generator that suggests available options.

Username reservations can be completed through Settings > Account > Username on the latest version of the app.

WhatsApp said the feature will be rolled out gradually over the coming months.

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A lesser-known WhatsApp feature now offers a more dependable way to identify whether a contact has blocked you, without sending a message or placing a call.

The feature is WhatsApp’s built-in encryption verification tool, originally designed to confirm that conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption. Beyond its security purpose, testing shows that it can also provide a strong indication when communication between two accounts has been blocked.

How the Feature Works

WhatsApp protects personal conversations using end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can read messages. To verify this protection, the platform allows users to check the encryption status of individual chats.

To access the feature:

1. Open a chat with the contact.
2. Tap the contact’s name at the top of the conversation.
3. Scroll down and select Encryption.

WhatsApp will automatically attempt to verify the encryption status of the conversation.

When communication between both accounts remains normal, the verification process completes successfully, confirming that the encrypted connection is intact.

The Blocking Indicator

The key clue appears when WhatsApp is unable to complete automatic encryption verification.

Testing shows that when a user has been blocked, the app repeatedly fails to verify the encryption relationship automatically and instead requests alternative verification methods. This behavior differs from chats where communication remains active and unrestricted.

Because the verification process depends on an active encrypted relationship between both accounts, a block can disrupt WhatsApp’s ability to complete the automatic check in the normal manner.

As a result, repeated verification failures in a chat can serve as a practical indicator that the other user has blocked you.

Why It Is Different From Traditional Signs

Traditional indicators of a block have always been open to interpretation.

A missing profile picture may simply mean the user removed it or restricted its visibility. A single check mark on a message could indicate that the recipient’s phone is offline. Unavailable status information can result from privacy settings rather than a block.

The encryption verification method offers an additional layer of confirmation because it examines the underlying communication relationship between the two accounts rather than relying on visible profile information.

A Discreet Way to Check

One advantage of using encryption verification is that it does not require any action that alerts the other person.

Unlike sending messages, placing calls, or repeatedly checking for profile updates, opening the encryption screen does not notify the contact. Users can therefore assess the status of a conversation without drawing attention to their activity.

Not Every Verification Failure Means a Block

While the method has proven useful in identifying blocked contacts, users should still consider the broader context.

Temporary technical issues, device changes, account reinstalls, or connectivity problems could occasionally interfere with verification processes. For that reason, encryption verification works best when considered alongside other familiar indicators such as undelivered messages, unavailable calls, and missing account information.

The post This WhatsApp Trick Could Help You Secretly Check if Someone Has Blocked You appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The appointment was disclosed by outgoing WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart in a post on X.

The leadership change comes shortly after Indian fintech company CRED announced plans to raise approximately $900 million from Meta.

Neither WhatsApp nor Meta provided additional details regarding the transition or Shah’s strategic priorities for the messaging platform.

Shah is widely known in India’s technology and startup ecosystem for founding CRED, a fintech platform focused on rewarding users for timely credit card payments.

The appointment marks one of the most significant leadership changes at WhatsApp in recent years as Meta continues to expand its messaging and digital services portfolio.

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The feature is currently under development and has not yet been released to beta testers.

The planned update comes as WhatsApp continues to expand its backup infrastructure. Earlier this year, reports suggested the messaging platform was testing its own cloud backup service as an alternative to Google Drive, potentially allowing users to choose where their chat histories are stored. The proposed service is expected to offer up to 2GB of free storage, alongside paid storage options, although WhatsApp has not officially confirmed those plans.

The latest development focuses on improving the management of existing backups on Android devices. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on a dedicated backup management section within the application that would allow users to view stored backups and remove outdated or duplicate copies that may be consuming storage space.

Currently, WhatsApp stores Android chat backups on Google Drive, with the data not counting against a user’s Google account storage quota. Users can perform manual backups or schedule automatic backups, while restoring data requires the same phone number and Google account used during the backup process.

The reported feature comes shortly after Google introduced new system-level backup controls for WhatsApp on June 15. The update allows Android users to manage WhatsApp backups directly through device settings without opening the messaging application.

According to the report, WhatsApp’s upcoming backup management tools could integrate with these Android-level controls by providing shortcuts to Google Drive storage management and backup settings, creating a more streamlined experience for users seeking to monitor or free up storage used by chat backups.

WhatsApp has not announced a timeline for the public release of the feature.

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The interim order follows complaints from several AI companies, including Poke.com developer The Interaction Company of California, French startup Agentik and a Spanish competitor, which accused Meta of unfairly restricting access to WhatsApp’s business application programming interface (API).

The European Commission began investigating the matter in December and later accused Meta of violating competition rules. Regulators argued that Meta’s access fees were too high for competitors and potentially allowed the company to favour its own Meta AI assistant.

EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera said regulators were concerned that Meta could leverage WhatsApp’s market position to strengthen its AI offerings while excluding rivals.

Under the order, Meta must restore access to WhatsApp Business APIs under the same terms that existed before October, when the company restricted access for competing AI services. The measure will remain in force until the investigation concludes or until June 2029.

Meta criticised the decision, describing it as regulatory overreach and confirming plans to appeal. The company argued that competitors already have multiple channels through which they can distribute AI services.

If found guilty of violating EU antitrust rules, Meta could face fines of up to 10 per cent of its global annual revenue.

The post Meta Ordered by EU to Allow Rival AI Chatbots Back on WhatsApp for Free appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The Meta-owned messaging service announced that it uncovered and blocked spear-phishing attempts allegedly connected to NSO after investigating reports from users. According to WhatsApp, the attackers attempted to trick targets into clicking on malicious links that redirected them to external websites designed to facilitate spyware infections.

The company said it also detected and removed several test accounts and groups created on WhatsApp as part of the operation.

WhatsApp noted that the campaign resembled a previous attack uncovered in Jordan in 2024, where victims were lured into clicking malicious links that ultimately infected their devices with Pegasus, NSO Group’s flagship spyware.

The latest allegations come despite a permanent injunction issued against NSO following a lengthy legal battle with WhatsApp. The court order barred the spyware maker from targeting WhatsApp users after the company was found responsible for a 2019 hacking campaign that compromised more than 1,400 accounts.

In response to the newly discovered activity, WhatsApp has filed a contempt motion, arguing that the alleged phishing campaign violates the existing court order.

NSO Group did not immediately comment on the allegations.

The spyware firm has faced years of scrutiny over the use of Pegasus by government clients to monitor journalists, political opponents, human rights activists, and dissidents worldwide. Investigations by security researchers, technology companies, and media organisations have documented numerous cases involving the spyware.

In recent years, technology companies have intensified efforts to counter commercial spyware through legal action, public disclosures, victim notifications, and the introduction of enhanced security features designed to protect users from sophisticated surveillance tools.

The U.S. government has also taken action against NSO, placing the company on a Commerce Department blacklist and restricting its access to American technology. Despite efforts by new investors to rehabilitate the firm’s reputation and re-enter the U.S. market, the restrictions remain in place.

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