WhatsApp Officially to Withdraw Support for Dozens of Smartphones in 2019

• A number of Symbian and Android smartphones will stop having access to WhatsApp's official app in 2019.
• iOS 7 users still have one full year until WhatsApp increases its minimum requirements. 
• Users are advised to upgrade to a newer version of their OS or device if they want to continue using the service.

Those who are using older smartphones or have not updated their smartphones in a long time will stop getting access to WhatsApp in 2019. The practice is common for the messaging platform as it does not offer support for devices and platforms that are severely outdated.

In 2017, platforms like Blackberry OS 10 and Windows Phone 8 stopped getting access to support. This year, Nokia Symbian Series 40 and some Android Gingerbread 2.3.7 devices will lose access to the messaging app. Apple iPhone owners who are running iOS 7 will stop getting access to WhatsApp in 2020.

An official statement was released by WhatsApp revealing: “The decision was taken because we will no longer be actively developing for these platforms and some features might stop functioning at any time. When we look ahead to our next seven years, we are looking to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms that a vast majority of people use. These platforms/phones don’t offer the kind of capabilities WhatsApp needs to expand its features in the future”.

By ceasing access to older devices and platforms, WhatsApp is able to focus its resources on new content and features. While Nokia’s S40 platform will lose access to WhatsApp after December 31, 2018, iOS 7 devices will lose support in February 2020. If your iPhone supports a newer version of the OS, it is recommended to update before you lose access to the messaging app.

Offering support for dated platforms that are not actively used drains not only WhatsApp’s development resources but also poses security risks. Mobile operating system updates bring not only new features but also critical security updates that older devices miss out on. Using older platforms or devices also leads to users missing out on WhatsApp’s new features that are not compatible with older hardware.

What do you think about WhatsApp’s decision to end support for the dated devices and platforms? Let us know in the comments below. Like and share this story through our socials on Facebook and Twitter.