WhatsApp is discontinuing support for older smartphones as part of its regular updates, focusing resources on supporting the latest operating systems.
- Impact on banking services: Users relying on WhatsApp for account balances, transaction histories, and payments may lose access to these services if their devices are unsupported.
- Security risks: Unsupported devices won’t receive crucial security updates, potentially exposing users to vulnerabilities while performing banking transactions.
- Limited customer support: Banks may struggle to provide adequate customer support to users on unsupported devices, as their systems may not be optimized for older technology.
- Devices losing support: Some of the unsupported devices include HTC One M7, Sony Xperia Z, Samsung Galaxy S2, and Motorola Droid Razr.
- Supported devices: WhatsApp will continue to support Android phones with OS 4.1 and above, iPhones with iOS 12 and later, and phones with KaiOS 2.5.0 and above.
- Recommendations for users: Users whose smartphones are losing support should consider upgrading to newer models and backing up their WhatsApp chats and banking-related data to avoid data loss. Those unable to upgrade should contact their bank’s customer support for alternative ways to access banking services.