WhatsApp Stops Supporting Older Smartphones
As of June 1, WhatsApp will no longer work on older iPhones and Android devices. The app will no longer run on smartphones running iOS versions below 15.1 or Android versions below 5.0.
Which smartphones will be affected?
The update will affect millions of users worldwide and may cause disruptions in access to personal and work chats. In fact, WhatsApp will stop working on the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. These models do not support the update to iOS 15.1, and therefore technically do not meet the minimum requirements.
Why WhatsApp is ending support
The technical increase in requirements is related to the need to ensure the protection of user data, support for end-to-end encryption, integration with cloud storage, and adaptation to the next-generation server architecture. Older versions of iOS and Android do not fully support these technologies, which makes their use potentially unsafe.
Consequences for users
Although the listed smartphones have long been considered obsolete, they are still used by millions of people around the world. In particular, we are talking about users who use them as a second device. Many of them are children, elderly people, or users who do not follow OS updates, so a sudden shutdown of WhatsApp can catch them by surprise.
What should users do?
Users who use older smartphones are advised to update their devices to newer models or install the latest available OS version if possible. Otherwise, they risk losing access to WhatsApp and other services that may also stop supporting older systems.
Conclusion
Stopping WhatsApp support on older smartphones is a measure aimed at improving the safety and security of user data. However, it may also cause inconvenience to users who are unable to update their devices. In the future, users should pay closer attention to OS updates and use modern devices to avoid such problems.
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