WhatsApp will no longer support a select number of smartphones starting from New Year's Day, 2021. As new Android and iOS versions have rolled out each year, companies like WhatsApp often need to make the tough decision to discontinue app support for the oldest versions. Here's an explainer on what versions are affected and what users can do to find out whether or not their phone will run WhatsApp in 2021.
Companies removing support for a number of older phones and operating systems is nothing new and typically the result of a cost-cutting exercise, security-related, or a combination of both. Even if some have used WhatsApp on an older phone for years without any problems, a change might be needed to continue using the app each year. At the beginning of 2020, WhatsApp ended support for iPhone models running iOS 8 and older versions, as well as Android phones running 2.3.7 and earlier.
According to Digital Information World, phones that were first released in 2010 and 2011 will lose WhatsApp support very soon. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S2, the LG Optimus Black, the Motorola Droid Razr, and the HTC Desire. As for iOS, iPhone 4 and older models will no longer be able to run WhatsApp. Users who want to keep their chat history can do so by sending it to a Google Drive account and then importing to a newer phone at a later date. Alternatively, they can send their chat history to an email address as a ZIP file.
For those that aren't sure about future WhatsApp phone compatibility, they can visit the WhatsApp FAQ section at any time to check. Currently, the company states that the app will work on any phone running a minimum of iOS 9, Android 4.0.3, or KaiOS 2.5.1. Considering the number of OS versions the major operating systems have released since then, the level of support still offered by WhatsApp is fairly generous, and should account for most phones purchased in the last few years. For those concerned the discontinued OS support is getting too close to their current version, there's still time to upgrade to a new phone and avoid any issues with chatting and video-calling.
Regardless of a phone's age, WhatsApp users should consider downloading the latest operating system available for their phone. By downloading the latest OS and WhatsApp version, they'll get the best experience possible and will be able to enjoy the app for longer. If updates are not applied automatically, both Android and iPhone users should be able to manually download and apply a software update through the device's settings. Again, to ensure there are no problems, it is also best to make sure the WhatsApp app is up to date as well, whether it's through Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store.
Source: Digital Information World, WhatsApp
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