Instant messaging app WhatsApp is working on a new feature for Android devices that will allow users to migrate chat history between iOS and Android devices, according to WABetaInfo. The feature would let users transfer their chat history between devices when switching phones.

According to the WABetaInfo, WhatsApp beta version for Android 2.21.9.7 update screenshots shows that the company is working on a chat migration feature.

The website, known for testing WhatsApp features before they are made available for a full release, said that while it was not clear how the chat migration feature would work, it is most likely that a cloud service like Google Drive will be used to store the history before importing it to the new device. WhatsApp already uses Google Drive to store chat backups, if selected through the app setting.

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In an earlier report, WABetaInfo had mentioned that WhatsApp was developing the chat migration feature for iOS devices.

Many users had been asking for this feature on the popular instant messaging app for years. Users were often resorting to third-party apps in order to migrate their chats, something that WhatsApp claimed violated its terms of service.

WhatsApp is also working on a feature that will allow messages to 'disappear' after 24 hours, similar to the already existing disappearing messages that remove messages 7 days after they were sent.

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WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, has recently faced tough competition from other instant messaging apps like Telegram and Signal, which were capitalising on the widespread backlash to WhatsApp’s new privacy policy and terms of use.

(Edited by : Jomy)