CALIFORNIA – If you are still using Windows Phone in 2019, you now have another reason to buy a new Android or iOS-based device! WhatsApp is ending support for all smartphone running Windows OS from December 31, 2019.
This means that the not only Windows phones would not receive any future update for WhatsApp, but the app will completely stop working on these smartphones.
The Facebook-owned instant messaging app, WhatsApp has announced that it won’t be supporting the Windows-powered phones from December 31, 2019. WhatsApp’s statement is in line with Microsoft’s decision to end the support for Windows 10 Mobile devices in December.
It should also be noted that WhatsApp support for Android versions 2.3.7 and older, and iPhone iOS 7 and older will also end after February 1, 2020. Earlier, WhatsApp support ended for Windows Phone 7 on December 31, 2016.
“Because we will no longer actively develop for these platforms, some features may stop functioning at any time,” WhatsApp says. While the app may initially continue to work, you’ll likely start encountering major bugs as WhatsApp continues to make changes on its end and Windows phone grows stale.
The phones with Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update will lose support in June and the last standing force of Microsoft’s mobile hardware will also stop receiving software updates after December 2019.
Windows Phone, a discontinued operating system from Microsoft, has a mere 0.28 percent mobile OS market share, according to Statcounter. This, for reference, is against Android’s 74.85 percent.
The operating system powered a handful of Nokia Lumia phones such as Lumia 638 and Lumia 540 among others.
Microsoft has already ended support for all versions of Windows Phone and even asked Windows users to move to Android, iOS and other platforms.
“Following Microsoft’s recent decision to end support for Windows Mobile devices in December, WhatsApp will release its final update for Windows phones in June. WhatsApp will continue working on Windows phones through the end of the year,” said a WhatsApp spokesperson.
Prior to Windows Phone, WhatsApp has ended support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40, Nokia Symbian S60, Android 2.1, Android 2.2, Windows Phone 7, iPhone 3G/iOS 6.
WhatsApp has also announced ending support for Android versions 2.3.7 and older after February 1, 2020, and iPhone iOS 7 and older after February 1, 2020.
WhatsApp in recent time became aggressive with the features and introduced many features in quick succession, which includes the sticker features or group calling features.
