The world’s most popular messaging app is about to no longer work on a very long list of phones. Check if yours is one of them.
WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging app, is about to hit a major milestone that will affect a long list of phones. The company announced that starting this Tuesday, October 24, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with older operating systems and, therefore, will no longer be supported on many phones. This announcement implies that a large number of people, all over the world, will have to consider an alternative if they wish to continue using this messaging platform.
This news is not really a surprise. The company justifies this decision by the fact that older devices do not have the capacity to handle the updates necessary to maintain the security and functionality of the application. According to Meta, “to determine which operating systems will no longer be supported, each year, like any technology company, we look at the oldest and least used devices and software. These devices may also no longer be supported.” not have the most recent security updates or do not have the necessary features to run WhatsApp”.
The list of devices and systems that will no longer be supported includes many older smartphone models. This will affect, for example, all iPhones with versions prior to iOS 10. Additionally, older Android devices with systems prior to Android 4.1 will also no longer have access to WhatsApp. The move will affect phones from popular brands like Samsung, LG and HTC.
If you don’t know which version of the operating system your phone is using, you can go to “Settings”, then “System”. For those affected, it is time to consider alternatives. One option is to update the device to a newer model compatible with current versions of the operating system. However, this can be an expensive solution as it requires purchasing a new phone.
Here is the full list of phones that will no longer work with WhatsApp:
