A page turning. Owners of smartphones with old Android operating systems will have to say goodbye to WhatsApp. As of Tuesday, October 24, Android versions older than version 5.0 Lollipop are no longer compatible with the Meta messaging service, the platform specifies on its website.
As of this date, WhatsApp no longer works on Android Jelly Bean 4.1, released in 2012, and on Android KitKat 4.4.4 available since 2014. A scrapping that, ultimately, should only have a small impact on users of the service – Devices not migrated to Android 5.0, available since late 2014, date back to the early 2010s. Very few are still in circulation.
Compatibility updates every year
If WhatsApp abandons these outdated versions of Android, this is not yet the case for older Apple operating systems. WhatsApp continues to be compatible with all iPhones up to and including iOS 12, implemented at the end of 2018. For example, the first Apple smartphone that is not compatible with WhatsApp is the iPhone 5, released in 2012.
This advance in Android compatibility is not a surprise, the date of October 24 has been listed on the WhatsApp site for many weeks. Last August, several press articles mentioned a change in WhatsApp’s compatibility with older Android operating systems. Falsely announcing an update for September 1, 2023.
In addition, WhatsApp specifies on its website to “identify the oldest devices and software each year, and those with fewer users”, to choose the operating systems that will no longer be supported.
Source: BFM TV
