WhatsApp To Stop Access On Several Mobile Devices By January 1st 2021. (See Details)

Popular social messaging application, WhatsApp has announced that its mobile application will stop working on several mobile devices as from January 1st 2020.

The company revealed that Older Android and iPhone devices will no longer support the latest version of the app, forcing owners to either update their mobile operating system or buy a new smartphone.

Any iPhone not running iOS 9 or newer, or any phone not running at least Android 4.0.3 – also known as Ice Cream Sandwich – will no longer be able to open or operate the Facebook-owned app.

This means all iPhone models up to the iPhone 4 will be unable to support WhatsApp, as these phones are not capable of updating to iOS 9.

Android phones that will lose WhatsApp support include the Samsung Galaxy S2, HTC Desire and LG Optimus Black.

Most of the 2 billion WhatsApp users around the world will not be hit by the change, though the small fraction that are will likely comprise several million people worldwide.

Phones set to lose WhatsApp support on 1 January 2021:

Apple iPhone 1-4
Samsung Galaxy S2
HTC Desire
LG Optimus Black
Motorola Droid Razr
Any Android released before 2010

Phones that will need to update to at least iOS 9 or Android OS 4.0.3:

Apple iPhone 4S
iPhone 5
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6S
Samsung Galaxy S3 and newer
Samsung Galaxy Note
HTC Sensation
HTC Thunderbolt
LG Lucid
Motorola Droid 4
Sony Xperia Pro and newer

The messaging giant will also be updating its Terms of Service next year, forcing users to agree to new privacy rules in order to keep using the app.

Earlier this month, WhatsApp confirmed that all users “must agree” to the new terms by 8 February 2021 or else lose access to their chats.