14 DAY TRIAL // WhatsApp has officially released a new update for iOS, and while the big news should be the new features that such a new version could bring, the whole thing this time comes down to the operating systems supported by the messaging app.
The latest version of WhatsApp no longer runs on iOS 9, which means the Facebook-owned company is officially dropping support for one very popular though rarely used iPhone.
iPhone 4S, whose latest update was iOS 9, is therefore no longer getting any new WhatsApp versions, with the app to obviously stop working at some point in the coming months when an update would be required. The main iPhone 4 is no longer supported either, as the last version of iOS available for this device was iOS 7.
According to the official WhatsApp support page, the messaging app requires iOS 10 and newer for iPhones, as well as Android 4.0.3 and newer for devices powered by Google’s operating system.
Few users actually impacted
Needless to say, WhatsApp giving up on iOS 9, and as a result on iPhone 4S, isn’t likely to affect too many users, as this device is already super-old and few people are still owning one.
iPhone 4S was officially unveiled in the fall of 2011, so it’s already nearly 10 years old. It shipped with iOS 5 and was officially discontinued in September 2014 after Apple unveiled the iPhone 6. The Cupertino-based tech giant, however, continued the sales in certain markets until 2016.
While no exact figures are available right now, it’s very clear few people are still using an iPhone 4S, as most Apple customers are already on the current devices still supported by the company. iOS 14, for example, is available on the iPhone 6s and newer, including the iPhone SE.