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WHATSAPP HAS ENDED SUPPORT FOR OLDER SMARTPHONES FROM JUNE 1, 2022. THE CHANGES AFFECT PHONES THAT ARE MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD - HERE IS A FULL LIST OF AFFECTED DEVICES 15:35, 03 Jun 2025
From this month, the widely-used messaging service WhatsApp will cease to function on some older mobile phones. The update that came into effect June 1 targets devices over a decade old.
Enhancements in WhatsApp's system compatibility mean certain aged smartphones will be incapable of supporting the app, attributed to safety concerns. The implementation was initially
scheduled for May but got deferred to June. iPhones that were released before 2015 and are unable to update beyond iOS 15.1 are affected by this change. For Android handsets, the requisite
operating system is now Android OS 5.0, which debuted in 2014. On the brink of these changes, WhatsApp had been sending out notices advising users to "update to the latest version of
iOS to continue using WhatsApp." These warnings were issued to any iPhones that were not running on at least iOS 15.1, reports the Liverpool Echo. Older iPhone models such as the iPhone
5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, alongside preceding versions, fall out of line with iOS 18 and will thereby find themselves unable to host updates or maintain WhatsApp functioning. _Sign
up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation__ sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here_. Certain Android models are also on the chopping block, including
Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC One X, and Sony Xperia Z. As per 9to5Mac's report referring to the WhatsApp FAQ page by Meta, the step to drop support is attributed to the older phone
models' inability to procure the necessary modern security enhancements and functionalities to sustain WhatsApp operations. Article continues below Apple has labelled the iPhone 6
"obsolete" just over a year ago, which means the company will no longer repair or provide services for the handset, and third-party service providers are unable to order parts for
the products. As of April this year, WhatsApp unveiled twelve exciting new features for its users to enjoy. Over two billion active users make WhatsApp the most popular messaging app
globally. In a recent blog post on their website, WhatsApp indicated: "To keep you in the loop, we'll be sharing regular roundups of the latest updates, tools, and settings."
THE LATEST ROUNDUP INTRODUCES NEWLY IMPLEMENTED FEATURES, SOME OF WHICH YOU MIGHT NOT YET BE FAMILIAR WITH. THEY CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: CHATS. Online indicator in group chats: For better
convenience in seeing who is available for a chat, you can now view the number of people currently 'online' directly under the group name in real-time. HIGHLIGHT NOTIFICATIONS IN
GROUPS A fresh 'Notify for' setting allows you to choose 'highlights' to limit notifications to @mentions, replies, and messages from saved contacts; alternatively,
selecting 'All' will enable you to receive all notifications. EVENTS UPDATES Creating an event is now possible within a 1:1 conversation. WhatsApp has also introduced options to
RSVP as 'maybe,' include a plus-one, set an end date and time for more extended events, and pin the event in a chat. TAPPABLE REACTIONS You can swiftly see all the reactions from
others and easily tap the one you wish to send. DOCUMENT SCANNING ON IPHONE You can now scan and send documents directly from WhatsApp on your iPhone. Simply select 'Scan document'
from the attachment section and follow the steps to scan, crop, and save the document. DEFAULT APP FOR IPHONE With the latest iOS update, you can set WhatsApp as your default messaging and
calling app on your iPhone. To make the switch, navigate to Settings > Default Apps and select WhatsApp. CALLS Pinch to zoom in video calls: iPhone users can now pinch to zoom in on a
video while on a video call to get a closer look at your own or peer video. ADD TO CALL FROM A CHAT You can add someone to an ongoing call directly from a chat thread by tapping the call
icon on the top and selecting 'Add to call'. ENJOY SMOOTHER VIDEO CALLS Efforts have been made to reduce dropped calls and video freezing. Improved bandwidth detection can quickly
upgrade your video to HD quality for a more enjoyable experience. VIDEO NOTES FOR CHANNELS Similar to chats, Channel admins can now instantly record and share short videos (60 seconds or
less) with followers. VOICE MESSAGE TRANSCRIPTS ON CHANNELS You can now get a written summary of voice message updates from channels when you're on the go and can't listen to them.
QR CODES Article continues below As a channel admin, you can now share a unique QR code that links directly to your channel, making it easy to sharewith others and grow their audience.