WhatsApp may soon introduce a new paid cloud storage plan for chat backups. According to a new report, the company is working on a feature that will let users buy extra storage when their backup space runs out.
The feature is still under development and is not available to users yet. Once launched, it could help people who regularly back up large chats, photos, videos, and documents.
New Backup Storage Option in the Works
WhatsApp is developing a system that will allow users to purchase additional cloud storage based on their needs. This will make it easier to back up large chat histories, high-quality photos, videos, and other important files.
At present, WhatsApp backups on Android are stored in Google Account cloud storage, while iPhone users rely on iCloud.
The new storage option is expected to work alongside these existing backup services instead of replacing them.
WhatsApp already offers End-to-End Encrypted Backup, which protects backups with a password or encryption key. The upcoming paid storage plan is also expected to offer the same level of security.
Why Users May Need Extra Storage
WhatsApp is now used for much more than messaging. People share 4K videos, high-resolution photos, office documents, and other large files every day. As a result, cloud storage fills up quickly.
With an option to buy extra storage, users may no longer need to delete old chats or media to create new backups. It will also make it easier to restore chats and files if a phone is lost, damaged, or replaced.
iPhone Users Could Benefit the Most
Apple gives iPhone users only 5GB of free iCloud storage. This space is shared across photos, videos, apps, documents, device backups, and WhatsApp backups. Because of this, many users run out of storage quickly.
According to the report, WhatsApp may initially offer up to 2GB of free cloud storage dedicated only to WhatsApp chat backups. This storage would be separate from iCloud and used only for WhatsApp data.
At the same time, iCloud will continue to remain the default backup option. Users who are happy with the current backup system will not need to change anything.
