14 DAY TRIAL // WhatsApp will soon stop working on a new series of old devices, as the application requires new-generation operating systems that are no longer available on some models.
In other words, unless you’re able to update your mobile operating system on the smartphone, you may no longer be able to run WhatsApp, as the parent company is trying to focus on new-generation devices only.
The target date for this painful change is December 31, so beginning on January 1, WhatsApp will stop supporting these devices.
The change, however, is massive this time, as WhatsApp is giving up not on one, not on two, but on 49 different phone models. Including iPhones, that is, as the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5c would be officially left behind after this end of support is reached.
WhatsApp explains that the change is happening because of the operating systems that it supports. On iPhone, the application requires iOS 12 and newer, while on Android, you must be running at least version 4.1.
“To keep up with the latest advances in technology, we routinely stop supporting older operating systems to point our resources to supporting the latest ones. If we stop supporting your operating system, you’ll be notified and reminded a few times to upgrade your device to continue using WhatsApp. We’ll also update this page regularly to ensure that the latest Android version we support is listed here,” WhatsApp explains.
Needless to say, there’s not much you can do to continue running WhatsApp on an unsupported device. The full list of smartphones no longer supported by WhatsApp beginning on December 31 is below (via Gizchina):
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5c
- Archos 53 Platinum
- Grand S Flex ZTE
- Grand X Quad V987 ZTE
- HTC Desire 500
- Huawei Ascend D
- Huawei Ascend D1
- Huawei Ascend D2
- Huawei Ascend G740
- Huawei Ascend Mate
- Huawei Ascend P1
- Quad XL
- Lenovo A820
- LG Enact
- LG Lucid 2
- LG Optimus 4X HD
- LG Optimus F3
- LG Optimus F3Q
- LG Optimus F5
- LG Optimus F6
- LG Optimus F7
- LG Optimus L2 II
- LG Optimus L3 II
- LG Optimus L3 II Dual
- LG Optimus L4 II
- LG Optimus L4 II Dual
- LG Optimus L5
- LG Optimus L5 Dual
- LG Optimus L5 II
- LG Optimus L7
- LG Optimus L7 II
- LG Optimus L7 II Dual
- LG Optimus Nitro HD
- Memo ZTE V956
- Samsung Galaxy Ace 2
- Samsung Galaxy Core
- Samsung Galaxy S2
- Samsung Galaxy S3 mini
- Samsung Galaxy Trend II
- Samsung Galaxy Trend Lite
- Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
- Sony Xperia Arc S
- Sony Xperia miro
- Sony Xperia Neo L
- Wiko Cink Five
- Wiko Darknight ZT