WhatsApp Messenger is a freeware,
cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It
allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video
calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.
It’s the go-to messaging
app for billions of people around the world, but WhatsApp has
revealed that its app will stop working on Windows smartphones this month.
While the app is currently available on select Windows
smartphone, it will stop being available on December 31.
WhatsApp said: “You'll no longer be able to use all
Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019, and WhatsApp might not
be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019.”
WhatsApp had earlier ended support for Nokia Symbian S60, Nokia Series 40 operating system, BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10
WhatsApp has already
ended service for some Blackberry and Nokia phones back in
the year 2016. A year later, in 2017, the messaging platform stopped service
for select Android, Windows, and iPhones running on an older version
of the operating system. With 2019 almost coming to an end WhatsApp is ending
service for all phones running Windows OS and also some iPhones and Android phones
running on old OS versions.
According to an official blog posted by
WhatsApp, the messaging platform will stop working for all Windows
phone operating systems after December 31, 2019. This means people who still
use Nokia Lumia phones and other devices that run on Windows OS will not be
able to use WhatsApp after December 31 that is just a few days
away. The blog also mentions that WhatsApp will stop working on all
Android phones running on 2.3.7 and older versions and iPhones running on iOS 7
and older versions after February 1, 2020.
Android versions 2.3.7 and older
-iOS 8 and older
-All Windows OS phones 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
other news, the Facebook-owned company constantly keeps updating its software
to include new features in order to provide smooth messaging and call
experience to its users. The instant messaging app is currently working on
rolling out the much-awaited 'Dark Mode' feature soon.
Why will WhatsApp stop working on these
phones?
WhatsApp is stopping service for phones running on older
Android and iOS versions because they don’t offer the kind of capabilities the
company requires to expand the app’s features in the future. “If you use one of
these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android,
iPhone, or Windows Phone before the end of 2016 to continue using WhatsApp,”
the Facebook-owned messaging platform said in the blog post.
WhatsApp further notes that users with very old Android
phones and iPhones will be the only ones who will be affected this. Considering
most smartphone users change their phones in some years, most Android phone and
iPhone users need not worry as WhatsApp will continue to work on their phones.
WhatsApp is asking users to use phones that run on Android
4.0.3 or later software version so they are not impacted with the stoppage of
service. For the iPhone users, WhatsApp says that phones running on iOS 8 or
later should be used to continue the journey with WhatsApp. In the
latest/updated FAQ WhatsApp also asks users to use phones running KaiOS 2.5.1+,
including JioPhone and JioPhone 2. Reliance Jio and WhatsApp worked together to
bring WhatsApp support to JioPhone and JioPhone 2 last year.
To recollect, a couple of months ago, WhatsApp announced that the app will stop working on phones running on the Windows operating system. The company announced that Windows phone users will no longer able to use WhatsApp on their phone post-Dec 31, 2019. In one of the past FAQs WhatsApp noted, "you'll no longer be able to use all Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019, and WhatsApp might not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019."
To recollect, a couple of months ago, WhatsApp announced that the app will stop working on phones running on the Windows operating system. The company announced that Windows phone users will no longer able to use WhatsApp on their phone post-Dec 31, 2019. In one of the past FAQs WhatsApp noted, "you'll no longer be able to use all Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019, and WhatsApp might not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019."
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