WhatsApp is putting a stop on the smartphones which are running older versions of Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. However, the end of support by WhatsApp is unlikely to affect many users since this change is only applicable to smartphones, which are running Android 2.2 Froyo, iOS 6, and Windows Phone 7 and the older versions of these three OS.
In February 2016, WhatsApp had announced to stop supporting older smartphones. These included the earliest versions of Android, iPhone, Nokia, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7 by end of 2016.
Later, it was announced that WhatsApp will extend support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40 and Nokia Symbian S60 till the June 30, 2017. Now as the end of the year approaches, WhatsApp's support for some of the older devices will be coming to an end.
The Phones based on the Android 2.1 and Android 2.2, Windows Phone 7, iPhone 3GS / iOS 6 operating systems won't support WhatsApp at the end of this month
According to the Indian Express, the end of WhatsApp technically for Android means around 0.1 per cent devices running on Android Froyo, if you go by the numbers according to Google's own dashboard from November 2016, so anyone who still has a phone on Ice-cream sandwich or Jelly Bean need not panic.
If you are a Windows phone 7 mobile owner, then 2016 will definitely be the end of WhatsApp support. According to WhatsApp's older blog, WhatsApp is ending support for these older smartphones based on Android, Because WhatsApp believes "these mobile devices don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future," reports IndiaTimes.
Recently, WhatsApp has also introduced the video calling feature across all platforms which are aggressively competing with the likes of Skype, Google Duo and FaceTime. WhatsApp has confirmed that the video calls are encrypted, similar to the texts. WhatsApp is also supposed to be getting some Snapchat like features that includes a version of Stories.
