META-owned social media application, WhatsApp will stop working on Apple’s old smartphone models, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c, and some old models of Samsung, Sony, LG, Huawei, Lenovo android devices on 1 January 2023.
According to the tech company, it is customary for WhatsApp to end support for older android smartphones and iPhones that have long stopped receiving regular software and security updates and are no longer secure enough to run the application.
WhatsApp said, “Devices and software change often, so we regularly review what operating systems we support and make updates.
“To choose what to stop supporting, every year we, like other technology companies, look at which devices and software are the oldest and have the fewest number of people still using them. These devices also might not have the latest security updates, or might lack the functionality required to run WhatsApp.”
The affected phone models include:
- Apple: iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c.
- Samsung: Galaxy Ace 2, Galaxy Core, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3 mini, Galaxy Trend II, Galaxy Trend Lite and Galaxy Xcover 2.
- Sony: Xperia Arc S, Xperia miro and Xperia Neo L.
- LG: Enact, Lucid 2, Optimus 4X HD, Optimus F3, Optimus F3Q, Optimus F5, Optimus F6, Optimus F7, Optimus L2 II, Optimus L3 II, Optimus L3 II Dual, Optimus L4 II, Optimus L4 II Dual, Optimus L5, Optimus L5 Dual, Optimus L5 II, Optimus L7, Optimus L7 II, Optimus L7 II Dual, and Optimus Nitro HD.
- Huawei: Ascend D, Ascend D1, Ascend D2, Ascend G740, Ascend Mate, and Ascend P1.
- Wiko: Cink Five and Darknight ZT.
- Others are Memo ZTE V956; HTC Desire 500; Quad XL; Lenovo A820; Archos 53 Platinum; Grand S Flex ZTE; and Grand X Quad V987 ZTE.
