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Starting January 1, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be supported on older Android phones running Android KitKat or earlier. This change means that if you’re still using an older device as your primary phone, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer model to continue using WhatsApp.
Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, is discontinuing support for these older devices because they lack the hardware capabilities to support the app’s evolving features and functionalities. As WhatsApp continues to add new features, such as AI functionalities, it needs more powerful hardware to ensure a smooth user experience.
Some of the popular phone models that will be affected by this change include the below:
If you’re currently using one of these older devices, it’s important to back up your WhatsApp data to a newer device before the deadline. Otherwise, you’ll lose all your media and chat history from WhatsApp.
This isn’t the first time Meta has announced plans to end support for older devices. A few months ago, the company announced that it would stop supporting iPhones running on iOS older than version 15.1.
For iPhone users, however, the deadline to upgrade to a newer device is May 2025. This gives iPhone users a bit more time to prepare for the change compared to Android users. However, it’s still important to be aware of the deadline and to start planning for an upgrade if you’re still using an older iPhone.
The decision to end support for older devices is likely to affect a significant number of users, particularly in developing countries where older phones are still common. However, as these tech companies continue innovating and diving deeper into AI, I’m afraid it will become a necessity to update even more often than in the past — at least if having the most recent version of an app is a priority. It’s a reminder that technology is now moving very quickly, and we will need to make some choices in order to avoid losing access to our favorite apps and services.
