WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps out there, and the platform is making a big change in the near future.
CNET has the report this week. According to the publication, based on confirmation from the Facebook-owned WhatsApp’s FAQ page, the messaging platform will be ending support for not only Microsoft’s defunct Windows Phone, but also older versions of iOS and Android. The cut for Windows Phone will happen first, with support ending on December 31, 2019.
Meanwhile, Android versions 2.3.7 and older, along with iOS 8 and older, will lose support beginning February 1, 2020.
To continue using WhatsApp, the FAQ suggests updating to an Android running OS 4.0.3 or higher, iOS 9 or higher, or select phones running KaiOS 2.5.1 or higher, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2.
In addition, the FAQ said that there’s no option to transfer chat history between platforms, but you will be able to export chat histories as email attachments.
Nothing groundbreaking here — those versions of the mobile operating systems are out of date. But it’s good that WhatsApp is making it known that older versions are losing support so they can update, if it’s possible for their handsets.