Published 12:22 IST, December 11th 2019
WhatsApp will stop working on these phones from December 31, check full list here
Facebook-owned WhatsApp instant messaging service will stop working on ‘millions’ of phones around the world in the next couple of months.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp instant messaging service will stop working on ‘millions’ of phones around the world in the next couple of months. This means, in case your smartphone fails to make the minimum cut for support, you’ll no longer be able to send and/or receive messages through WhatsApp. Support starts ending for many phones as soon as December 31, 2019.
App incompatibility isn’t new or surprising. Developers need to change with the times, updating their apps with new and more relevant features plus making theses apps more secure and private. A lot many of these new features and updates may not work on older software, which is why there are incompatibility issues. Users may prolong the inevitable by not updating their apps to the newer versions, but that’s just a workaround and never advisable on the part of the developers.
Devices losing support for WhatsApp is a big deal though simply because way too many people are dependent on it for their instant messaging needs – especially in India, which is WhatsApp’s biggest market. Therefore, it’s imperative to be aware if your device will support WhatsApp (or not) in the days to come. In case it is not, you’ll have to probably buy a new device with software that would be compatible with the service.
“WhatsApp will stop working on millions of phones in the next couple of months as the company withdraws support for some older mobile platforms. From February 1, 2020, any iPhone running iOS 8 or older will no longer be supported, along with any Android device running version 2.3.7 or older,” Facebook said in a statement.
“Users of these operating systems are already unable to create new WhatsApp accounts or re-verify existing accounts. Furthermore, WhatsApp is withdrawing support for all Windows phones from December 31, 2019 -- the same month that Microsoft ends support of its Windows 10 Mobile OS."
Now the TL;DR version: WhatsApp will stop working on the following devices soon:
December 31, 2019: All Windows phones. Basically, if you have a Windows phone, it’s time to upgrade because even Microsoft is ending all support for its operating system.
February 1, 2020: iPhone running iOS 8 or older, Android phone running version 2.3.7 or older
Updated 20:13 IST, December 11th 2019