WhatsApp’s latest beta release shows that its next big app update will drop support for older iPhones.
Specifically, WhatsApp will soon require iOS 12 or above, with support for iOS 10 and iOS 11 to be phased out. That means anyone still using an iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C will be out of luck, as those phones can’t run iOS 12.
True, that may be a minority of iPhones users, but there are plenty of people out there still using older devices – and with WhatsApp reportedly boasting over two billion monthly active users, there’s bound to be some crossover there.
This update is due on October 24, although of course, that’s subject to change. If you or someone you know is using an iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C, now may be the time to finally consider an upgrade.
The cheapest upgrade to keep WhatsApp compatibility is the iPhone 5S, which can run iOS 12. But to truly catch up with the latest apps it would be better to target an iPhone 6S or newer, as those phones can run the very latest app updates with iOS 15.
Alternatively, it may be smart to wait until Apple unveils iOS 16 on June 6 to find out which iPhones will be compatible, thereby future-proofing yourself for years to come.