Although Apple has preinstalled its “Messages” messenger, many iPhone owners prefer to use Whatsapp. The app has around two billion users worldwide according to the data portal Statista by far the most popular messenger service. However, some iPhone users will soon have to look for an alternative.
No more WhatsApp: These iPhones are affected
Until now, the Apple operating system iOS 12 was sufficient to use WhatsApp on the iPhone. This should end next year. The US group Meta, to which the messenger service belongs, has announced that From February 24, 2025, iOS 14.1 is the minimum requirement for the app will be. But which iPhone models does WhatsApp no longer support?
Owners of the older ones are affected iPhone models 5s, 6 and 6 Plus. The devices cannot be updated to the iOS 14.1 operating system and therefore no longer meet the increased system requirements of Whatsapp. This means that user safety is no longer guaranteed. In addition, new functions can no longer be offered.
Read more: Using Whatsapp on the iPad: These methods work
Users of the affected iPhone models have until February 24, 2024 to find an alternative. You can either get a newer smartphone that runs at least iOS 14.1. Or they communicate via another messenger, such as Telegram, Signal or Threema.
By the way: Android smartphone users are not affected by the measure. The Android 5.0 operating system remains the minimum requirement for writing via WhatsApp.
