According to latest media reports, Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp shall stop being supported by some Android and Apple smartphones from November 2021.
WhatsApp shall now be supported only on iOS 10 and newer versions of the operating system for apple users. On the other hand, WhatsApp shall only be supported on Android 4.0.3 or lower for Android users.
Here is a tentative list that WhatsApp has shared for a few devices that will cease to support Whatsapp from 1 November 2021.
iPhone SE
iPhone 6S
Samsung Galaxy Trend Lite
Galaxy Trend II
Galaxy SII
Galaxy S3 mini
Galaxy Xcover 2
Galaxy Core
Galaxy Ace 2
LGs Lucid 2
LG Optimus F7
LG Optimus F5
LG Optimus L3 II Dual
LG Optimus F5
LG Optimus L5
LG Optimus L5 II
LG Optimus L5 Dual
LG Optimus L3 II
LG Optimus L7
LG Optimus L7 II Dual
LG Optimus L7 II
LG Optimus F6
LG Enact
LG Optimus L4 II Dual
LG Optimus F3
LG Optimus L4 II
LG Optimus L2 II
LG Optimus Nitro HD and 4X HD
LG Optimus F3Q
ZTE Grand S Flex
ZTE V956
ZTE Grand X Quad V987
ZTE Grand Memo
Huawei’s Ascend G740
Huawei Ascend Mate
Huawei Ascend D Quad XL
Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL
Huawei Ascend P1 S
Huawei Ascend D2
Sony’s Xperia Miro
Sony Xperia Neo L
Sony’s Xperia Arc S
Other devices from Alcatel, HTC, Lenovo are also included in the list.
Users must note that while these devices will stop being supported by Whatsapp, they must not panic. This process will happen in a phased manner and Whatsapp will not immediatly stop working from 1 November 2021 on these devices. The smartphones will merely stop gaining security updates and new features, which will invariably lead to the app being defunct on these older smartphones.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)