Popular messaging app WhatsApp will stop working on older iPhones and Androids after New Year's Eve, unless owners get an upgrade.
A new update to the popular messaging service will mean that some older phones will not be compatible with the app and won't get regular updates. Heading into the New Year, 50 smartphones are to be affected by the change includes phones from Apple, Samsung, Sony and Huawei, which may affect plenty of Irish phone owners.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp has issued an alert to issue to those with affected older phones before the instant messaging service stops working, the Mirror reports. WhatsApp said: “Devices and software change often, so we regularly review what operating systems we support and make updates.
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"These devices also might not have the latest security updates, or might lack the functionality required to run WhatsApp. 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."
WhatsApp recommends Apple’s iOS 9 and above, and Android v4.3 and above, to continue to receive support. Any phone running Android 4.3 or below, and iOS 9 or below, won’t run WhatsApp reliably after 31 December 31, 2022
In October, WhatsApp stopped working on iPhones using iOS 11 and older software. In November it launched a new tool called 'Message Yourself', which allows users to send themselves notes and reminders.
Smartphones and androids that WhatsApp will stop supporting from December 31 include:
- Apple-iPhone 5 and Apple iPhone 5c
- Samsung- Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, Samsung Galaxy Core, Galaxy S2; Galaxy S3 mini; Galaxy Trend II; Galaxy Trend Lite and Galaxy Xcover 2
- Sony- Xperia Arc S; Xperia miro and Xperia Neo L
Huawei- Ascend D, Ascend D1, Ascend D2, Ascend G740, Ascend Mate and Ascend P1
LG-Enact, Lucid 2, Optimus 4X HD, Optimus F3, Optimus F3Q and others
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