WhatsApp has finally stopped its services for smartphones running on Android 2.2 or lower, Windows Phone 7 and iOS 6.0 after the company announced its plans in 2016. The Facebook owned company has advised anyone using the above mentioned operating systems to simply buy a new smartphone, if they want to continue availing the services.
WhatsApp is undoubtedly the best Messenger App present in digital space and its 1 billion downloads record is enough to prove its supremacy. Since its launch, WhatsApp has dominated the messenger business and it became such a big hit that Mark Zuckerberg led Facebook agreed for buying WhatsApp for $9.3 billion in 2014.
In 2016, WhatsApp reached the 1 billion downloads mark while putting other messengers like Hike and Line to shame. Features like voice and video calling services were also introduced to WhatsApp users, making it a complete package.
However, WhatsApp officials have claimed that despite these operating systems being an integral part of the app’s success, they no more offer the kind of capabilities WhatsApp needs to expand its app’s features in the future. Further, it is rumored that the company is focusing on integrated encryption and other security services that Android 2.2 or lower, Windows Phone 7 and iOS 6.0 may not support, making it a move towards cyber- security.
The Move by WhatsApp was earlier criticized by market analysts as they said that this will adversely affect the users due to their dependence on WhatsApp Messenger as a large number of people still use feature phones rather than smartphones. While answering these allegations, WhatsApp reported that the market share of these devices is very low as 0.1 percent devices run on Android 2.2 Froyo, 2.6 percent on iOS 6, and the iPhone 3GS is itself a 7-year-old phone. Windows Phone 7 is also a talk of the past.
Surprisingly, BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40 and Nokia Symbian S60 users will support WhatsApp Messenger till 30 June, 2017.
Coming to what WhatsApp has in store for us in 2017, there are several rumors including a feature that will allow the user to delete or edit a message after it is sent.
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3 January 2017
Rohan Jaitly