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WhatsApp to end support for older iPhones in coming months

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If you’re still rocking a decade-old iPhone 5 or 5C and use WhatsApp, you should be aware that the Facebook-owned company will soon be ending support for those devices.

A WhatsApp notification spotted by WhatsApp specialist site WABetaInfo reveals that the company will end support for iOS 10 and iOS 11 in the fall. The iPhone 5 and 5C are unable to deploy iOS 12 and later, which means WhatsApp on those two handsets will stop receiving the latest updates for security, features, and general functionality.

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According to the notification, WhatsApp will officially end support for iOS 11 and earlier on October 24, so there’s plenty of time to make plans if the messaging app is a major part of your connected life.

A WhatsApp support page says the messaging app currently works best with iOS 12 and later, which means the iPhone 5S and later Apple handsets.

Apple stopped making the iPhone 5 in 2013, and while it was popular in its day, it’s safe to say that few people are still using the device. The situation is a little different with the iPhone 5C, however, as Apple discontinued that handset more recently, in 2016 in India and in 2015 elsewhere.

It’s not unusual for app makers to end support for older mobile operating systems as an increasing number of newly developed features will be unable to work with the older technology. WhatsApp took a similar step in March 2021 when it stopped supporting iOS 9, a move that impacted folks using its messaging app on an iPhone 4S.

If WhatApp’s decision is enough to prompt you to finally ditch your aging iPhone 5 or 5C but you don’t have the cash to purchase one of Apple’s latest handsets, then how about saving some money and going for a refurbished iPhone?

WhatsApp is a hugely popular messaging app with around two billion monthly active users, according to data from analytics site Statista. Launched in 2009, WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook — now Meta — for $19 billion in 2014.

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Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
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