WhatsApp will stop working on older mobile OS versions

WhatsApp is dropping support for older mobile OS versions meaning that WhatsApp will stop working on most phones that have older os versions.

WhatsApp will reportedly cease to function with Android and Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich or older versions of Android OS. BY end of 2021 loads of devices will stop working. Starting November 1, 2021, the devices will no longer have support for the WhatsApp app and will be incompatible.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich last version 4.0.4 was released on December 16, 2011, and currently enjoys no security-supported fixes.

What phones are running on Ice Cream Sandwich? Most phones were released in 2011 and prior run Ice Cream Sandwich but it is prudent you check what version of Android your phone is running. If it’s on anything or less than 4.0.4 then WhatsApp won’t work.

Also, the iPhone iOS is affected that include iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, and iPhone 6S and any iPhone running iOS 9 or older version.

Here are some phones that were meant to run on android 4.0.4 and released around 2011 that were also available in Zambia that will no longer support WhatsApp.

Samsung Phones

Samsung Galaxy Trend Lite, Galaxy Trend II, Galaxy SII, Galaxy S3 mini, Galaxy Xcover 2, Galaxy Core, and Galaxy Ace 2 

Android Phones from Chinese Market

Huawei Ascend G740, Ascend Mate, Ascend D Quad XL, Ascend D1 Quad XL, Ascend P1 S, and Ascend D2 and ZTE Grand with Xiomi.

Sony. LG and Alcatel

Sony’s Xperia Miro, Sony Xperia Neo L, and Xperia Arc S are included in the list, alongside other devices from Alcatel, HTC like HTC Desire, Thunderbolt, Sensation, and Rezound. Some Lenovo and more will also stop.

What’s the current version of Android?

At the time of writing current, a version of android stands at 11 as Red Velvet Cake with 12 to be announced as a Snow Cake. Android 10 was called Quince Tart and 9 was Oatmeal Cookie. Here is the rest of the history of Android.

1. Android 1. September 2008
2. Android 1.1 internal codename Petit Four. February 9 2009
3. Android Cupcake version 1.5 release date April 27 2009
4. Android Donut released on September 15 2009 as version 1.6
5. Android Eclair started at version 2.0 through 2.0.1 to 2.1 from October 2009 to January 2010
6. Android Froyo at 2.2 – 2.3 May 2010
7. Gingerbread run from 2.3 – 2.3.2 december 6 2010 to 2.3.3 – 2.3.7 February 9 2011
8. Android Honeycomb started at version 3.0 on February 2011 to 3.2 – 3.2.6 July 2011

After Honeycomb we had the Android Ice Cream Sandwich the version WhatsApp is dropping from their support. Ice Cream started at 4.0 and run through to 4.0.4 from October 18 2011 to December 11, 2011.

Ice Cream Sandwich was followed by Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, and Nougat. Personally, I missed all these as I moved to iPhone 4s through to iPhone 6. Though briefly, I used android 4.2 on Galaxy S4 but only for a week before losing the phone.