As the years pass, it is inevitable that some technological devices will become obsolete. Thus Whatsapp, the famous messaging application, announced that starting from 1 January 2025 the app will stop working on 19 smartphone models still in circulation. These are models that are unlikely to still be in the hands of users, and the same thing will happen for iPhones in May 2025.
Devices at risk: what they are and why
The incompatibility mainly affects smartphones that do not support at least Android 5.0 or later operating system versions. As for Apple devices, the minimum version required will be iOS 12. Here is a list of the models that will lose access to Whatsapp:
Samsung
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Galaxy S3
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Galaxy Note 2
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Galaxy Ace 3
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Galaxy S4 Mini
Motorola
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Moto G (1st generation)
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Razr HD
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Moto E 2014
HTC
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One
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One X+
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Desire 500
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Desire 601
LG
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Optimus G
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Nexus 4
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G2 Mini
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L90
Sony
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Xperia Z
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Xperia SP
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Xperia T
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Xperia V
Apple
These are products launched between 2012 and 2013, which are no longer able to support the updates necessary to maintain compatibility with the new Whatsapp features.
How to save chats before saying goodbye
In any case, those who still have one of these models can take some precautions so as not to lose their conversations. The simplest solution is to make a backup of your chats. The process varies slightly between Android and iOS:
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Android: Open Whatsapp, select ‘More’ (the three dots at the top right), access ‘Chat settings’ and then click on ‘Chat backup’. This will allow you to save all conversations on Google Drive.
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iOS: Open the app, click on ‘Settings’ (bottom right), then on ‘Chat’ and finally on ‘Chat backup’. In this case, the backup will be saved to iCloud.
Making a backup is essential to easily transfer your data to a new device.
Recent Whatsapp news and improvements
In addition to this news, Whatsapp continues to introduce new features to improve the user experience. One of the most recent innovations concerns the introduction of an icon system to better manage conversations and temporary notifications. This update is not only aesthetic but has a practical function: it allows you to highlight specific messages, especially those that have a time limit.
How many times have you forgotten to reply to a message? With this new feature, users will be able to assign an icon that serves as a reminder for important messages. Additionally, you can set a timer for temporary messages, which can be automatically deleted after a few hours or for up to 90 days. This option is ideal for those who want to keep chats tidy or manage sensitive information that doesn’t need to be available for long.
How to update Whatsapp
To benefit from the latest features, it is obviously always advisable to keep Whatsapp updated. Users can download updates directly from their phone’s settings or from the respective store (Google Play for Android and App Store for iOS). Enabling automatic download of updates ensures that you always have the latest version, without having to carry out manual checks.
But why Meta decides to discontinue support for some devices the answer is simple: no point in wasting time keeping Whatsapp alive on such old models at the expense of improving the app for models
most recent. This process of technological evolution is therefore inevitable and aims to guarantee better security, speed and quality of service. Anyway, sooner or later, we end up buying a new smartphone.