WhatsApp to End Support for Older Smartphones Starting January 2018

WhatsApp has announced that it will stop supporting a range of older smartphones starting New Year’s Day, forcing users to upgrade to newer devices to continue enjoying the app’s full features.

From January 1, 2018, phones running BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, or Windows Phone 8.0 will no longer be able to receive WhatsApp updates. This means that users of these devices will miss out on new features and critical security updates.

In a blog post, WhatsApp stated:

"While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don’t offer the capabilities we need to expand our app’s features in the future. This was a tough decision, but it is necessary to provide people with better ways to stay connected with friends, family, and loved ones."

The company recommended that affected users upgrade to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone device to continue using WhatsApp securely.

This follows a series of previous discontinuations, including the end of support for Nokia Symbian S60 phones last year. WhatsApp plans to stop supporting Nokia S40 devices on December 31, 2018, and Android 2.3.7 and older devices after February 1, 2020.

In a separate development, a lawyer in India recently called on WhatsApp to remove the middle finger emoji, claiming it constitutes an obscene gesture, highlighting ongoing discussions around emoji use and