WhatsApp will stop working on millions of phones TODAY – is yours on the list?
WHATSAPP has revealed that the messaging app will stop working on Windows smartphones today.
It's currently available on select versions of the devices but will cease to be from Tuesday, December 31.
WhatsApp said: "You'll no longer be able to use all Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019, and WhatsApp might not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019."
It's not just Windows phone owners that are going to be disappointed though as WhatsApp will also stop working on several Android smartphones and iPhones next year.
As of February 1, 2020, people using Android versions 2.3.7 or older will not be able to create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts.
The same fate will apply to users of iPhones running on iOS 8 or older.
If you have a Windows phone and want to save your chat history before it's gone forever then there is luckily a fairly simple way to do this.
You just need to open the chat you wish to export.
Then click on 'Group Info'.
Next you'll need to scroll down and click 'Export Chat'.
This will give you the option to download the chat with or without media.
Microsoft has decided to end support for Windows phone software due to a lack of market penetration and disinterest from app developers.
The company advised people to invest in iOS and Android devices.
WhatsApp – a quick history
Here's what you need to know...
- WhatsApp was created in 2009 by computer programmers Brian Acton and Jan Koum - former employees of Yahoo
- It's one of the most popular messaging services in the world
- Koum came up with the name WhatsApp because it sounded like "what's up"
- After a number of tweaks the app was released with a messaging component in June 2009, with 250,000 active users
- It was originally free but switched to a paid service to avoid growing too fast. Then in 2016, it became free again for all users
- Facebook bought WhatsApp Inc in February 2014 for $19.3billion (£14.64bn)
- The app is particularly popular because all messages are encrypted during transit, shutting out snoopers
- As of January 2018, WhatsApp has over 1.5billion users globally
TOP STORIES IN TECH
In other news, WhatsApp's long-awaited ‘dark mode’ will switch on automatically to boost your phone’s battery life, according to reports.
It emerged last month that a recent WhatsApp update was dramatically draining people's phone batteries.
And, here's the biggest tech flops of the past decade.
Would you be lost without WhatsApp? Let us know in the comments...
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]