Fake News Alert: WhatsApp is not dropping the support for older iPhones, states WAB

From the past week, news of WhatsApp not working on older iPhones from January 2021 has brought an uproar amid iPhone users. The news said that WhatsApp will stop working on some Android and iPhone smartphones. This is due to updates to both operating systems and applications to keep up to date. But WABetaInfo has made it clear that no such thing will happen. It said:

WhatsApp is not dropping the support for older iPhones. It's a fake news. 🤷🏻‍♂️

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) December 22, 2020

What was the news?

Major reports suggested that with the beginning of the new year, WhatsApp support will end for some Android and iOS smartphones They eve states that the company said that it will end support in 2021 for outdated software. After this month, the messaging app will not run on devices that do not run on Android 4.0.3 operating system and iOS 9 at least. The articles said, "To keep using all services/ features offered by WhatsApp, the company’s support page has recommended users to update their operating system to the latest version."

What is new?

Well, the messenger app has always affirmed that it support, Android running OS 4.0.3 and newer; iPhone running iOS 9 and newer; select phones running KaiOS 2.5.1 newer, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2. WhatsApp’s support page recommends users to use the latest version of their operating system to enjoy all the features. For iPhone, the phone should be updated till at least iOS 9 and above and for Android users, Android 4.0.3 or newer versions are required for seamless usage of the messaging application.

Thus, if your phone already has WhatsApp, it won't suddenly stop working. For instance, the company's FAQ state, "We don't explicitly restrict the use of jailbroken or unlocked devices. However, because these modifications might affect the functionality of your device, we can't provide support for devices using modified versions of the iPhone's operating system."