There’s some good and bad news coming to WhatsApp fans over the coming weeks. First, let’s start with the good news as millions of users could be about to get one of the most anticipated updates in years. WhatsApp officially began trying out its dark mode this week with those who are part of the beta test getting access to this blockbuster upgrade.
As the name suggests, dark mode completely changes the appearance of WhatsApp with the chat window turning black and messages then appearing in green bubbles with white writing.
The test has so far been exclusively available on Android but Apple iPhones are also fully expected to get this new feature when it releases to the devices across the planet.
There’s no word on when dark mode will be pushed out for real but these beta tests usually mean an official announcement could come very soon.
So, that’s one feature most WhatsApp fans will be hugely excited about but there is also a dramatic update from the Facebook-owned firm which some may not be quite so happy about.
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WhatsApp has been warning for a while that it is ending support for some smartphones and that date is now nearly upon us.
This new ban means that all iPhones running anything older than iOS 7 will no longer have access to WhatsApp and there’s also issues for Android fans as well.
Devices with anything prior to version 2.3.7 installed will also be out of luck come February.
According to latest figures from Google, there are still plenty of phones using older versions of its operating system and there could be as many as 7.5million devices that will have to be upgraded before they can continue to use WhatsApp.
Although it may not be a hugely popular decision for those with ageing smartphones there has to come a point where tech firms simply can’t continue supporting every operating system.
Explaining their reasons behind this latest block, WhatsApp said: “As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use.
“While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don’t offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app’s features in the future. This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp.
“If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone to continue using WhatsApp.”