WhatsApp is dropping support for some older iPhone models come May next year.
Devices not running iOS 15.1 or later will not be compatible with the messaging app, which includes the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
WhatsApp has a great range of features and it introduces new ones all the time. It's also pretty good at offering support for older devices, with the app currently offering compatibility for iPhones running iOS 12 and later.
However, there comes a time when all good things come to an end, and if you have an older iPhone, that time is coming for you and WhatsApp.
A report from WABetaInfo, which usually spots new features coming to WhatsApp ahead of them arriving, has highlighted a notification that appeared for users running iOS versions earlier than iOS 15.1.
The notification tells users that they will need to "update to the latest version of iOS to continue using WhatsApp", adding "WhatsApp will stop supporting this version of iOS after 5 May 2025". This version being anything earlier than iOS 15.1.
It means that if you are running an iOS version earlier than iOS 15.1, you will have a few months to get a new phone that will support iOS 15.1 and later, or come to terms with the fact that you'll have to find a different messaging app.
The report on WABetaInfo says one of the main reasons for WhatsApp dropping support for versions of iOS older than 15.1 is because newer versions of Apple's system software have updated APIs and other improvements that are required to deliver new features.
It added that by dropping support for the older versions, the WhatsApp app can be optimised, new features can be added and it can offer performance enhancements.
Both standard WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business will drop support for iPhones running earlier iOS versions than iOS 15.1. It's likely this will predominately affect the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as the latest software they support is iOS 12.5.7.
As mentioned though, the change won't come into affect until 5 May, 2025 so there's still a bit of time to consider an upgraded device if you are still using one of these.
