WhatsApp stops working on some smartphones from September 8
Tengrinews.kz — As of September 8, WhatsApp has stopped supporting smartphones running Android 5.0 and 5.1 Lollipop. The minimum operating system version required to use the messenger is now Android 6.0 Marshmallow, according to WABetaInfo.
The change applies to both the standard version of WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business.
If you use an older smartphone and have not checked for updates in a while, now is a good time to see which version of Android is installed on your device.
Which smartphones are affected
The rule is simple: if your phone runs Android 5.0 or 5.1 and cannot be updated to Android 6.0 or later, WhatsApp is no longer supported on it.
This mainly affects older models that manufacturers stopped updating long ago. Such devices are still in use in various countries, particularly in India, Brazil, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and Africa.
What to do if WhatsApp stops working
According to the developers, users should first check whether their smartphone can be updated to a newer version of Android. This can usually be done through the device settings.
If an update to Android 6.0 or later is available, it should be installed. WhatsApp will then be supported again.
If the phone no longer receives software updates and remains on Android 5.0 or 5.1, the user will need to switch to a newer device.
WhatsApp had warned users of older Android versions in advance that support would be discontinued, so the change did not come as a surprise to many.
Why WhatsApp is ending support for older Android versions
According to insiders, WhatsApp is constantly being updated, and developers need new features to work properly on supported devices.
At the same time, maintaining compatibility with very old operating systems is becoming increasingly difficult, so support for them is eventually phased out. For most users, the change will go unnoticed.
WhatsApp also recently began rolling out a new feature for channels. Administrators will be able to label photos, videos and other content created or edited using artificial intelligence.