Chat platform WhatsApp is about to stop working on a number of Apple phones, and users will need to upgrade to a new handset if they want to keep using it. A batch of iPhones that will stop working have been announced.
According to the team at WABetainfo, WhatsApp is starting to alert some users that their devices will stop working from October 2022. That's because Apple's iOS 12 will be the minimum requirement for devices from this autumn.
In the alert, WhatsApp warns: "Update to the latest version of iOS to continue using WhatsApp. WhatsApp will stop supporting this version of iOS after 24 Oct 2022."
Along with this pop-up window on iPhones, WhatsApp has also updated its support page which now states, "Currently, we provide support for and recommend using the following devices: Android running OS 4.1 and newer, iPhone running iOS 12 and newer."
It's not uncommon for the firm to drop support for older devices. As phones get older fewer people use. WhatsApp says that it looks at what devices to support each year.
A WhatsApp spokesman said: "Devices and software change often, so we regularly review what operating systems we support and make updates. To choose what to stop supporting, every year we, like other technology companies, look at which devices and software are the oldest and have the fewest number of people still using them. These devices also might not have the latest security updates, or might lack the functionality required to run WhatsApp."
The change will mean WhatsApp stops working on anything older than an iPhone 5S - including the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5C.
