Whatsapp is ending support on various phones. On an article dated 7th May 2019 on the app’s blog, the service providers wrote that by the end the year, individuals using Windows phones globally will not be able to access the app. This comes just days after the 7th anniversary of the app.
When Whatsapp was started back in 2009, about 70 percent of phones in the market had operating systems offered by BlackBerry and Nokia. However, times have changed and gadgets from Google, Apple and Microsoft are the preferred choice today accounting for a high of 99.5% of sales. In 2016, phones like BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40, Nokia Symbian S60, Android 2.1 and Android 2.2, Windows Phone 7 and iPhone 3GS/iOS 6 were cut off from the WhatsApp list of phones supporting the app.
Whatsapp has undergone various modifications and updates since it started, and promises to continue updating its features to suit modern day social needs. As a result, certain mobile phone companies will no longer measure up to support the app. Earlier in the year the Nokia S40 was cut off. Come December 31st this year, all Windows Phone operating systems will be next off the list. The discontinuation does not end there, in 2020, Android versions 2.3.7 and iPhone iOS 7 and other older versions will be affected.
While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don’t offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app’s features in the future, the blog continues.
WhatsApp acknowledges that this was a tough decision to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp. If you use one of these affected mobile devices, WhatsApp recommends upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone before the end of 2019 to continue using WhatsApp.
Important to note is that since WhatsApp will no longer actively develop for these platforms, some features may stop functioning at any time.
