A major update to WhatsApp means that the world’s most popular messaging app is to stop working on millions of phones worldwide, to be particular on a majority of Android and iOS phones from 1st February, 2020.
In case you were planning on purchasing a Windows (Microsoft phone), well, think again. Know why? Cuz the owners of WhatsApp have announced that their application is completely going to stop working on all Windows-supported phones with effective from yesterday 31st December, 2019.
Come 2020, popular messaging and chatting platform “WhatsApp” will stop working on a number of smartphones. As updated on the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section of the Facebook-owned messaging app, there are several Android and iOS phones that may not be able to run the app as the company will withdraw support for older versions of OS from 1st February, 2020.
According to the information on WhatsApp FAQ section, Android phones running on Android 2.3.7 (Android Gingerbread) operating system and lower (Android 2.2, 2.0) as well as iPhones running on iOS 8 and lower will not be compatible with the chat app from this year (2020) onwards.
However, the Facebook-owned instant messaging platform will keep the app running for select phones with KaiOS 2.5.1+ OS, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2.
Moreover, in what may come as bad news for Windows OS users, WhatsApp earlier announced that is also withdrawing support for all Windows phones from December 31, 2019 — the same month that Microsoft ends support of its Windows 10 Mobile OS. The company also added that the app “might not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019.” Do remember that the Microsoft Store is the official mobile app store for Windows (Microsoft) phones users.
WhatsApp also highlighted that the decision to end WhatsApp support for these Android phones and iPhones will not affect a lot of users.
WhatsApp said blocking certain mobile operating systems from using the app was necessary in order to ensure security of its users.
They also added that since they no longer actively develop for these operating system versions, some features might stop functioning at any time, WhatsApp did write in a series of posts to their website.
Here is the list of all the operating systems that will not support WhatsApp as of January 2020:
Android versions 2.3.7 and older
iOS 8 and older
All Windows OS phones with effect from 31 December, 2019
WhatsApp also listed the operating systems that the app supports and recommends users to use the following updated devices:
– Android running OS 4.0.3+
– iPhone running iOS 9+
– Select phones running KaiOS 2.5.1+, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2.
In the conclusion of their post, they did say that for the best experience, they do recommend you use the latest version of iOS or Android version available for your phone. Since Apple released iOS8 in 2014, anyone with an iPhone 6 or newer will be spared from the purge. iOS8 is compatible with the iPhone4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s, so owners are advised to update their devices if they have not done so already. And anyone with a Windows phone who wishes to save their chat histories will able to do so by following the following steps;
Open the chat you wish to export, and tap on Group Info.
Tap ‘Export Chat’. You’ll then be given the option to download the chat with or without media. Choose your option and export all your chats.
Otherwise, dear reader, kindly Update your device’s OS today, please. Mugibson is out.
