WhatsApp to stop working on old Apple, Samsung devices and more: Here’s a list of phones impacted
WhatsApp to stop working on old Apple, Samsung devices and more: Here’s a list of phones impacted
People are holding onto smartphones longer than ever. According to Statista, most people in the US keep their devices for at least two years and seven months before upgrading, with some using their phones until they break. If you have an older phone and use WhatsApp constantly, you might need to upgrade to a newer device to continue using the app.
A report by CanalTech indicates that WhatsApp will stop updating and functioning on over 35 smartphones from vendors like Apple, Huawei, Lenovo, LG, Motorola, and Samsung.
While brands like Huawei and LG have stopped selling phones in India, many are still using phones from these brands, and they are now compelled to upgrade to a newer smartphone, given they intend on using WhatsApp in the future. It's not just WhatsApp, many apps also have similar policies, and with WhatsApp it's much easier to identify, considering its three billion-plus users.
The list includes some of the highly popular smartphones from the early years of this decade such as the Apple iPhone 6 and the first-generation iPhone SE. Similarly, popular Samsung phones such as Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S3 Mini, and Galaxy S4 Mini users also need to upgrade to newer models to keep WhatsApp up and running.
Dated hardware and software is the reason
Smartphone makers support devices for only a few years. Due to software and hardware compatibility, developers like Meta optimise their apps for newer software versions. To run WhatsApp, you need a device with at least Android 5 Lollipop or iOS 12. While the report lists only popular smartphones, WhatsApp will likely stop working on more budget Android phones running Android 4 or older versions.
List of devices that will lose WhatsApp support soon
| Brand | Models |
| Samsung |
Galaxy Ace Plus, Galaxy Core, Galaxy Express 2, Galaxy Grand, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom |
| Motorola | Moto G, Moto X |
| Apple |
iPhone 5, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE |
| Huawei |
Ascend P6 S, Ascend G525, Huawei C199, Huawei GX1s, Huawei Y625 |
| Lenovo |
Lenovo 46600, Lenovo A858T, Lenovo P70, Lenovo S890 |
| Sony |
Xperia Z1, Xperia E3 |
| LG |
Optimus 4X HD, Optimus G, Optimus G Pro, Optimus L7 |
If you own one of these devices, we recommend upgrading before WhatsApp stops working, as transferring data from an old device to a new one will be difficult once WhatsApp is disabled. To ensure a smooth data transfer, back up your chats on Google Drive.
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