cloud api: WhatsApp to be open to all businesses through Cloud API: All details

WhatsApp Cloud API is now available to all businesses worldwide. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the same at the company’s Conversations event. “Today, I am excited to announce that we’re opening WhatsApp to any business of any size around the world with WhatsApp Cloud API,” said Zuckerberg. Meta launched WhatsApp Cloud API into beta testing in November 2021. Companies can integrate the API with their backend systems, where WhatsApp is part of their communication strategy.
What is WhatsApp Cloud API
WhatsApp Cloud API is cloud-based version of the company’s developer tool WhatsApp Business API. The new tool, as per the company, aims to make it easier for businesses of all sizes anywhere in the world to get started on WhatsApp. “In just a few minutes, any business or developer can easily access our service, build directly on top of WhatsApp to customize their experience and speed up their response time to customers by using our secure WhatsApp Cloud API hosted by Meta. And this is an important step to help more businesses connect with people and help more people message the businesses that they want to support – big and small,” said Zuckerberg.
Features of WhatsApp Cloud API
* It will allow businesses and developers to build directly on top of WhatsApp to customize their experience and improve the speed at which they can respond to their customers.
* WhatsAPP says that the new service will eliminate costly server expenses and give them instant access to new features.
* WhatsApp will provide new customizable click-to-chat links to help businesses attract customers across their online presence.
* The Cloud API will help partners to eliminate costly server expenses and help them provide customers with quick access to new features as they arrive.
What it means for WhatsApp users
WhatsApp says that for users this means that they will be able to chat with more of their favorite businesses on WhatsApp. Stressing on privacy, the company added, “As always, people are in control of the businesses they chat with and businesses cannot message people unless they have requested to be contacted.”
What is the cost of WhatsApp Cloud API
As for the pricing, WhatsApp says, “We plan to offer these as additional, optional features for a fee in the WhatsApp Business app as part of a new premium service.” Moving forward the company says that we are working on advanced features for these businesses to help them run their operations beyond just a few people and further amplify their brand online – like the ability to manage chats across up to 10 devices so they can better handle influx of chats.