WhatsApp has become our go-to messaging service and nowadays anyone who doesn't have it is considered a little out of the loop. You still text? Get out of here!
Allegedly used by up to one billion people every single day of the year, the app is now the world's most popular messaging service and it looks like nothing is going to stop it.
However, many users of the free-to-download service are due for a shock, given the fact that WhatsApp is soon to be no longer compatible with millions of smartphones.
The issue, destined to annoy many a WhatsApp user, is caused by a recent version 2.18.90 update, which removes support for some older devices. The company reportedly plans to stop support for all iPhones running iOS 7 by February, 2020, meaning that anyone who owns an iPhone 4 or an earlier version of the Apple phone will have to either buy a new device or simply give up their favourite messaging service.
Furthermore, anyone out there who owns a later iPhone will also be forced to update their device; if they started using Whatsapp on an iPhone running iOS 7, they will still be able to use the older version of the app until February 2020, when it will stop working for them altogether.
The official cut-off date is February 1; however, this does not necessarily mean that all the functions will be maintained until then, with reports claiming that some could disappear at any time without prior warning.
It's certainly not the first time that WhatsApp has dropped support for certain phones; last year, the company revoked support for Nokia Symbian S60 phones, and it will reportedly do the same for Nokia S40 handsets on December 31 2018.
In other WhatsApp news, fans of the app in the UK are allegedly being warned about a new scam. According to British newspaper, the Daily Express, Police in the UK are warning about messages claiming to be from someone who is "a friend of a friend".
Apparently, the "friend of a friend" - often named Olivia- normally states they have got a new number as they begin the conversation. If the WhatsApp user questions their identity, they offer to send a picture of themselves; when they do, it is a hyperlink that, when opened, shows pornographic images.
Cheshire Constabulary’s Halton Brook Police have taken to Twitter to warn parents about the threat, claiming the scam targets children. The user behind the account posted: "I have been made aware of worrying WhatsApp messages being sent from a number registered overseas. The sender pretends to be a friend with a new number but then sends a pornographic picture. If your kids use the App please have a chat with them & check their messages #HereForYou".
Stay safe out there, WhatsApp users.
