WhatsApp Drops Support for Older Smartphones in 2025
Millions of U.S. smartphone users will need to upgrade their devices in the coming year to continue using WhatsApp. Starting January 1, 2025, WhatsApp will cease support for a range of older Android phones, impacting users who rely on the popular messaging app. This move, according to Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, is necessary for security and functionality reasons. “Each year, we take stock of which devices and software are the oldest and have the fewest users. These devices may also not have the latest security updates or lack the features required to run WhatsApp,” the company stated.
- Samsung: Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Ace 3, Galaxy S4 Mini
- Motorola: Moto G, razr HD, Moto E (2014)
- LG: Optimus G, Nexus 4, G2 Mini, L90
- Sony: Xperia Z, Xperia SP, Xperia T, Xperia V
- HTC: One X, One X+, Desire 500, Desire 601
While this list isn’t exhaustive, it highlights the significant number of older Android devices affected. The cutoff primarily impacts phones running Android 4.4 (KitKat), a version that hasn’t received google Play Services updates since summer 2023, leaving these devices vulnerable to security risks.
iPhone Users Also Affected
The changes aren’t limited to Android users. iPhone users shoudl also take note. WhatsApp will discontinue support for iOS versions older than 15.1,effective May 5,2025. Currently, the app supports iOS 12 and later. This means that older iPhones will also lose access to the messaging service unless users upgrade their operating systems.
This move by WhatsApp underscores the importance of keeping mobile devices and operating systems updated for both security and access to the latest features. For U.S. consumers,this means evaluating their current devices and planning upgrades to avoid losing access to this widely used communication platform.
WhatsApp will discontinue support for older smartphone operating systems starting in 2025. Support for Android devices running Android 4.4 (KitKat) or older will end on January 1, 2025. [1]
iPhone users with iOS versions older than 15.1 will lose access to the app effective May 5, 2025. [1]
