WhatsApp will soon no longer be compatible with another round of earlier versions of iOS and Android. As described in the recent WhatsApp update System requirements, you must have a device running at least iOS 9 or Android 4.0.3 to access WhatsApp after January 1, 2021.
Notable devices that will lose WhatsApp support next year include the iPhone 4, the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Droid Razr.
The WhatsApp movement is hardly surprising. All the technology is left behind at some point, and now it seems like this is an annual tradition for WhatsApp. Last year, the company removed Android devices, iPhones and all even older Windows phones from the list of compatible devices and we suspect there will be another round of cuts in twelve months.
These changes are likely due to Facebook’s recent integration of direct messages from WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram into a cross-platform service that doesn’t work well with older operating systems.
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That said, most of the affected devices are about ten years old and no longer support operating system updates. So if you’re still picking up an old iPhone, this could be another sign that it’s time to upgrade.
If your device is still eligible but your operating system is not, make sure you update your smartphone to meet the new WhatsApp requirements. You can check your version of Android and if any updates are available at Settings> About phone. IPhone users can do the same in Settings> General> Software Update.
If your device’s operating system is too low and no updates are available, it may also be worth looking for WhatsApp alternatives if you don’t feel like buying a new phone. We can’t guarantee that other chat apps will also support your super-old smartphone, but it’s worth exploring if WhatsApp is cutting you off.
This article was originally published in December 2019 and was updated on December 30, 2020 with the new WhatsApp requirements.
[BGR]