Bhubaneswar: Instant messaging app ‘WhatsApp’ will withdraw its services from some android smartphones from February 1 next year.

As per the recently updated information on the app’s FAQ section,  WhatsApp will not run on Android 2.3.7 operating system and iPhones running on iOS 8 and older versions. Moreover, the instant messaging app owned by Facebook will not extend its support to any Windows phone from December 31, 2019. However, WhatsApp will support devices running on Andriod OS 4.0.3+, iPhone Ios9+, selected phones running KaiOS 2.5.1+, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2.

Highlighting that the decision won’t affect a lot of users, WhatsApp FAQ has briefed about how to save the chats in a Window smartphone before December 31, 2019. Here are the steps:

  • Open the chat you wish to export and tap on Group Info.
  • Tap ‘Export Chat’.
  • Choose whether to download the chat with or without the media files. Then export all the chats.

Windows phone users won’t be able to retrieve their chats after December 31, 2019.

The FAQ also emphasized that after February, 2020, devices with older versions of Android and iOS won’t be able to create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts. WhatsApp is currently working on the much-awaited ‘Dark Mode’ feature which is being expected to feature in the market soon.