WhatsApp appears to be expanding its upcoming cloud backup service to iPhone users. The feature was first spotted for Android in April, and a new report now suggests that the company is also testing it on iOS.
According to reports from the source, the feature was discovered in WhatsApp beta version 26.28.10.16 for iOS. The new system would allow users to store their chat backups directly on WhatsApp’s own encrypted cloud storage instead of relying only on third-party services.
At present, Android users back up their chats through Google Drive, while iPhone users use Apple’s iCloud service. With the new feature, users on both platforms will be able to choose between these existing options and WhatsApp’s own cloud storage platform.
The report says WhatsApp will offer 2GB of free cloud storage. However, the company is also exploring paid plans for users who need more space. One reported option includes a 50GB storage plan that could cost $0.99 per month.
Security remains a major focus of the new service. Users who choose WhatsApp’s cloud storage will be able to protect their backups with a passkey, a password, or a 64-digit encryption key.
Unlike Google Drive and iCloud backups, chats stored on WhatsApp’s servers will be end-to-end encrypted by default. Users will only be able to disable encryption by switching back to Google Drive on Android or iCloud on iOS, where encrypted backups remain optional.
WhatsApp has not announced when the feature will become available to the public. The company is still developing the service for both Android and iOS devices. However, it will likely arrive first through the beta channel before a wider rollout begins for all users.
