WhatsApp may let iPhone users skip iCloud backups

iPhone users who've watched their iCloud storage vanish under the weight of WhatsApp backups may soon get a way out. Code uncovered in a WhatsApp beta build for iOS.

First noticed by WABetaInfo, suggest that the first-party chat backup service that allows the user to back up the chat on WhatsApp servers as opposed to Apple’s.

This update is currently still under development and is not available even for the beta users; therefore, its release date is still unknown. However, once it does come out, WhatsApp will offer the user an option to choose the chat backup provider directly through the application itself, with iCloud being the default option.

This mirrors a similar project WABetaInfo reported on for Android back in April, where WhatsApp is building an alternative to Google Drive. Together, the two efforts would mark the first time WhatsApp has offered backup storage independent of either company's cloud ecosystem.

It has been reported that the company will be launching 2GB of storage in their own servers for free and other options such as 50GB of space available at a cost of approximately $0.99 per month and a 1TB option which is currently under development.

Encryption is not a feature of iCloud backup services currently; however, it requires opting in by users themselves. In the case of WhatsApp service, encryption will automatically be activated, and it will be done using a passcode, password, or a 64-digit number known to only the user.