WhatsApp drops help for iOS 9

Supply: Luke Filipowicz/iMore

WhatsApp has confirmed it’s ending help for iOS 9 on the iPhone, with customers required to be on iOS 10 or later to make use of the service.

First reported by MacRumors:

As indicated in a newly revealed help doc, WhatsApp has ended help for iOS 9 and earlier variations of Apple’s cell working system, requiring all customers to be working at the very least iOS 10, launched in 2016.

From WhatsApp:

We offer help for and advocate utilizing the next gadgets:

Android working OS 4.0.3 and newer
iPhone working iOS 10 and newer
Choose telephones working KaiOS 2.5.1 newer, together with JioPhone and JioPhone 2
After you have considered one of these gadgets, set up WhatsApp and register your cellphone quantity. WhatsApp can solely be activated with one cellphone quantity on one system at a time.

Moreover, there isn’t any choice to switch your chat historical past between platforms. Nonetheless, we offer the choice to export your chat historical past as an electronic mail attachment.

Because the report notes, the change will have an effect on customers of the iPhone 4S for probably the most half, however that is nonetheless solely a tiny proportion of iPhone customers. In December Apple confirmed that 81% of iPhone customers are working iOS 14, with an extra 17% on iOS 13 or earlier, which signifies that solely 2% of iPhone customers are working a model of iOS 12 or earlier.

Not too long ago, the CEO of WhatsApp mentioned that it was in Apple’s strategic curiosity that its clients do not use WhatsApp, because it meant they have been much less probably to purchase an iPhone due to the best way iMessage works. You’ll be able to read the full report here.