WhatsApp update: Have these Samsung phones? App will stop working; know how to tell

Whatsapp update: Far ahead of both WeChat and Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp is the most widely used encrypted messaging service in the world with over 2 billion active users. WhatsApp service works on Android, iOS and KaiOS phones. However, much to the shock of many smartphone users, WhatsApp stops working on their phones. Now, word is that WhatsApp will stop working on a number of brands and certain Samsung phones are affected too. There is nothing wrong with their phones and nothing is wrong with WhatsApp app either. The problem for users is that their smartphones access to WhatsApp has been stopped.

WhatsApp, in fact, regularly reduces the number of older devices that it supports for various reasons. According to recent reports, WhatsApp is likely to drop support for older Android (from manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi and more) and iOS devices (older iPhone models) later this year. This means that many outdated smartphones will not be able run the popular messaging service and will either need to update their phones (which is mostly not possible), or buy a new one instead.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

According to a report by SamMobile, it appears that owners of certain older Samsung Galaxy smartphones will not be able to run WhatsApp later this year, when the company is expected to stop supporting a few outdated devices. This means that any smartphone that is running the latest version of Ice Cream Sandwich (version 4.0.4) or older will not be able to use the app. WhatsApp currently supports devices running Android 4.0 to Android 11, which is the latest version of Android.

How to check if your older Samsung phone is affected

There is an easy way to check if you are affected by the impending change to supported devices. You simply need to visit your Samsung phone’s Settings app and tap on About phone or Phone information and check your Android version number. If the number is 4.0 or 4.0.4, you won’t be able to use WhatsApp in a few months, according to the report. If the number is 4.1 or higher, you should be able to continue using WhatsApp on your older Galaxy smartphones. According to SamMobile, there aren’t too many smartphones that still run Android 4.0 or older versions, as many older Samsung devices (including the original Galaxy Note) received an update to Android 4.1 years ago.

What to do if your phone isn’t supported any longer

If you haven’t already, downloaded the latest software update for your smartphone, then do so now. Companies usually add quality and performance improvements, and might even bring your phone to a newer Android version -- such as Android 4.1 or 4.2, which will give you some time before you have to look for a new smartphone. However, if you do not see an upgrade, you might have to buy a new phone. This is a good thing to do even without the WhatsApp requirement, as older phones running Android 4.0.4 were released as far back as 2011 – nearly ten years ago. This makes them quite insecure and unsafe to use, considering how many security flaws are discovered in a month, let alone a decade.