WhatsApp Facing New Changes in March
The popular messaging application WhatsApp will be undergoing new changes in March, as announced by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp. The changes primarily involve discontinuing support for certain mobile devices that do not meet the app’s safety standards.
According to the official WhatsApp page, the application will continue to work on smartphones with Android 5.0 or higher operating systems, or iOS 12. However, older versions of these operating systems do not meet current security standards and will no longer be compatible with WhatsApp.
As a result, several devices using operating systems older than the minimal required versions will no longer support WhatsApp starting in March. Devices from brands such as Samsung, LG, Huawei, Sony, ZTE, and iPhone models 6S and 6S Plus will be affected.
In addition to the device compatibility changes, WhatsApp users will soon be able to send and receive messages to other platforms without leaving the application. This new feature is being introduced as part of the new Digital Markets Law (DMA) coming into force in the European Union, which aims to improve interoperability between different messaging platforms.
However, Meta has made it difficult for users to send messages from rival apps, as they will need to manually enable the interoperability feature in chat and can cancel it at any time. It is also important to note that interoperability will be optional, allowing users to choose whether they want to use it.
Given these upcoming changes, many users may consider switching to other messaging platforms. Despite this, Meta assures that end-to-end encryption will be maintained in conversations, and the interoperability feature will focus initially on text, voice, images, videos, and files messaging.
As the new changes in WhatsApp draw near, users are advised to check their device’s compatibility and prepare for the upcoming enhancements and adjustments.
Source: 20 Minutes / Spain