The deadline is about to expire: WhatsApp is discontinuing support for many so-called feature phones. Anyone who owns such devices only has until the beginning of 2025. Then the messenger disappears completely. There are already initial signs. Users complain that they see a specific message when they open WhatsApp after an update.
WhatsApp supports various operating systems, including Google's Android and Apple's iOS. The well-known messenger service is releasing more and more updates to unlock new functions.
WhatsApp is also active on other operating systems. For example, KaiOS, which was developed specifically for simple or classic mobile phones and is based on Firefox OS. WhatsApp has been activated there for many years. But the parent company Meta, which includes Facebook and Instagram as well as WhatsApp, will give up exactly that offer by 2025 at the latest.
WhatsApp: These cell phones are losing messenger
According to consistent media reports, WhatsApp will finally end support for KaiOS by the beginning of 2025. The messenger has been gradually excluding cell phone users from KaiOS since June 25th.
The app will no longer be available on affected devices when a new account is created. For everyone else, the final end will come in February 2026. From then on, they will no longer be able to access the application, even if they have an existing account.
This affects so-called feature phones, i.e. simple and long-lasting mobile phones that also have certain functions of modern smartphones.
WhatsApp specifically says: “We want to offer a private and reliable service to as many people as possible. To achieve this, we regularly review how WhatsApp is used, including our growing set of features that empower private calls and chats around the world. Accordingly, we will no longer support WhatsApp on KaiOS devices. Before support for these devices is ended, all affected users will be notified in a timely manner.”
The discontinuation of WhatsApp support affects numerous older cell phone models, especially those with KaiOS. The affected devices include popular models such as:
In total there are over 70 feature phones that use the KaiOS operating system.
Also Apple phones before the WhatsApp shutdown
WhatsApp has also announced that the system requirements for using the messenger will increase from February 24, 2025. Going forward, iOS 14.1 will be the minimum requirement, meaning some older iPhone models will no longer be compatible. Those are affected iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 and that iPhone 6 Plusas these devices cannot be updated to iOS 14.1.
The main reason for this change is security, as CHIP reports online. WhatsApp explains that older operating systems no longer meet the latest security standards and cannot support some features.
By increasing system requirements, the company wants to ensure user security as well as introduce new functions that would not be possible on outdated systems.
This is what those affected by WhatsApp can do
For some, the end of Messenger apparently came as a surprise, as comments on Reddit show. For example, someone there reported “[…] it worked, but yesterday I received an update via the store and since then, when I open Whatsapp, the error message 'something went wrong' appears…”.
Other users confirmed similar problems. The app was also removed from the OS's official app store, it said.
Anyone who wants to continue using WhatsApp in the future therefore only has limited options and will sooner or later have to decide against the messenger or in favor of a new cell phone with an alternative operating system.
Sources: teltarif, WhatsApp, Reddit/m-ago
By Dana Neumann for Futurezone | adapted from come
