WhatsApp users on Android will receive Google Drive integration very soon, allowing users to back-up their chat messages and media content to the cloud.
Google and WhatsApp have announced earlier this week the newest version of WhatsApp for Android that helps in creating private backups for several of the app’s key features: chats, voice messages, and photos and vide, BGR reported.
Users will be able to choose to backup their data on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, and can choose to exclude videos from the backup if they have too many. Drive is the native cloud storage experience for people running Google-flavored Android.
WhatsApp said that when buying a new phone, users can restore everything on a new device with just a couple of taps, with an encryption as well, according to VentureBeat. WhatsApp cofounder Brian Acton added that Google Drive is an easy choice as it provides native Android experience for its users.
Majority of WhatsApp 900 million users are using Android devices, which makes integration with Google Drive a better and easier deal. Users can download the latest WhatsApp version directly from Google Play, though it might not be visible on the new backup feature right away because it will only start rolling out over the next few months, and will appear in users' WhatsApp settings when available.
This new plan will bring WhatsApp for Android closer to the messaging service's iOS app, which uses Apple's iCloud storage for similar functionality. For privacy and security concern on users' data, the cross-platform mobile messaging app said that it does not use people's data stored in Drive to be used in offering personalized ads.