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Several outlets reported this month that WhatsApp will stop working on certain older iPhone models starting in January 2021. It may sound like credible news, WhatsApp had stopped supporting certain models in the past.
However, that is not the case this time, as confirmed WABetaInfo, a trusted source for WhatsApp news and updates.
WhatsApp will not stop supporting older iPhones. This is fake news.
WABeta Info, Twitter, December 22, 2020.
Let’s clarify. News is true, but the timeline is wrong.
WhatsApp won’t discontinue support for older iPhones
Recent reports indicated that iPhones running on iOS 9, such as the iPhone 4 and earlier models, would lose WhatsApp support in the new year. Anything from an iPhone 4S and newer would be safe.
Users were instructed to upgrade to iOS9 as soon as possible. However, unlike in the past, when WhatsApp announced which devices would no longer receive updates, the FB property has not shared any announcements recently.
As we reported in December 2019, WhatsApp already removed support for older phones in early 2020. The new version was only available on phones running iOS 9 and Android 4.0.3 or newer since February 2020.
Billions of WhatsApp users have been living with this change for a whole year. There is really nothing to worry about. Cold.
A quick look at the official WhatsApp blog shows that recent changes to the world’s largest chat app include a new feature called Carts and an announcement about ways users in India can send payments via WhatsApp.
Yes, WhatsApp initially said that some phones will lose support in January 2021, but those changes were already implemented in 2020. WhatsApp modified its official statement in June 2019 to include the correct dates.
According to the official statement from WhatsApp, the timeline for ending support on older devices was as follows. See? No mention of January 2021 at all:
- Nokia Symbian S60 after June 30, 2017
- BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10 after December 31, 2017
- Nokia S40 after December 31, 2018
- All Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019 and the app may not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019.
- Android versions 2.3.7 and earlier after February 1, 2020
- iPhone iOS 7 and later after February 1, 2020
Upcoming WhatsApp Features
Developers are constantly working to update the most used messaging app. Some of the upcoming features include a read after feature as well as disappearing messages and a biometric unlock feature.
The Read Later feature is currently in its beta testing phase. Once implemented, it will allow users to archive chats; you will not receive new notifications while this feature is enabled. It is similar to vacation mode.
The disappearing messages feature was first mentioned in October 2019, when WhatsApp released a work-in-progress version of the feature through its Google Play Beta Program.
And finally, WA Beta Information reported earlier this year that WhatsApp is improving the current fingerprint lock feature for Android users.
Top crowned mobile app
In other news, the Facebook-owned app was recently crowned the best non-gaming mobile app. Analytical company Sensor tower confirmed that the app was installed 58 million times in the month of November.
About 30% of all installations were from India; while the second country with the most facilities was Nigeria. After WhatsApp, the top five include TikTok, Facebook, Weather & Radar USA, and Instagram.
“Our estimates include downloads for the App Store and Google Play worldwide between November 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. […] We only report unique installations ”.
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