WhatsApp to End Support for Older Android Phones Starting January 1, 2025
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- 23 Dec 2024
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Meta has announced that it will discontinue support for WhatsApp on older Android smartphones beginning January 1, 2025. Specifically, devices running on Android KitKat or earlier versions will no longer be able to access the popular instant messaging app, impacting millions of users globally.
This decision is not unexpected. As WhatsApp continues to evolve and introduce new features, the app requires more advanced hardware and software capabilities. The increasing demand for modern functionalities, especially with the rise of AI-driven features, necessitates the use of more recent devices. Consequently, developers often phase out support for older smartphones that cannot accommodate these advancements.
The Way Forward
For users still relying on older devices, the best course of action is to back up all WhatsApp data to a newer device. Failing to do so may result in the loss of media and chat history after the support cutoff date in 2025.
Meta had previously announced a similar end of support for iPhones, stating that devices running iOS versions older than 15.1 would lose access to WhatsApp, with support for these iPhones continuing until May 2025. However, the termination of support for older Android phones will take effect much sooner.
This is not the first instance of WhatsApp discontinuing support for outdated devices. In 2020, the company ended support for phones operating on Android 2.3.7 or older and iOS 8 or older.
While the impact of this change is likely to be minimal, given that the affected devices and software are quite dated, it is crucial for users still using these older models to be aware of the impending changes.
