Facebook-owned WhatsApp has announced that it will no longer support iOS 8 or older iPhones. The company notes that this is because Apple has disabled some needed features in their older system software. WhatsApp says that devices using older software on Android and Windows may also stop working over the next few weeks. iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c models were released in September 2013, about a month before iPhone models switched from 30-pin to Lightning connectors.
These are the first iPhone models to be discontinued entirely by WhatsApp. The company had announced earlier this year that it would be ending support for pre-iOS 9 devices but pulled back its plans in July after a delay in the release of an update with changes that would have broken features on older devices while Apple was still digitally signing iOS 8 updates.
The Facebook-owned messaging app is taking this step because Apple has disabled some needed features in their older system software WhatsApp will remove the ability to use its app when your phone runs iOS 8 or older, which means any iPhone 5 or 5C user will no longer be able to use the app — unless they upgrade their device’s operating software.
WhatsApp Is No Longer Available On iPhone 5 & 5c
WhatsApp notes that this is because Apple has disabled some needed features in their older system software. Meanwhile, WhatsApp says that devices using older software on Android and Windows may also stop working over the next few weeks.
The iPhone 5 and 5c were released in September 2013, about a month before iPhone models switched from 30-pin to Lightning connectors. As such, they were the first iPhones that could no longer be charged with the same cables as their older counterparts.
As we noted in our original article on the matter: “If you have an iPhone 5 or 5c, all is not lost—you can still use WhatsApp if you have a lightning cable adapter for your old 30-pin connector (you can buy one here).” If you still have one of these adapters lying around somewhere, it may be worth taking a few minutes to see if it works for charging your phone before shelling out for new cables or adapters.