It seems hard to believe, but there are a certain number of users who still use an iPhone 4S. And their arguments are logical: why buy a new iPhone when all I do is make a phone call and use WhatsApp ? They are usually the elderly or those professionals who seek minimal distraction from the iPhone.
But one of those compelling arguments will cease to exist, because a WhatsApp support document confirms that the service has stopped supporting iOS 9. All iPhones that continue to use that system are, therefore, unable to use WhatsApp.
The furthest behind lose, but in the end we all win
As the iPhone 4S can only run iOS up to version 9, they are no longer actual smartphones. And any other phone that has it installed will have to update to a more recent version of iOS, at least iOS 10. The iPhone 5, 5c and later are saved.
I am not going to enter into the debate of programmed obsolescence: that WhatsApp has supported a five-year-old operating system is a milestone in a world in which smartphone technology is advancing exponentially, held back only by the drums. I’m afraid that if you were still using an iPhone 4S, it’s time for you to renew the device.
Abandoning support for iOS 9 will allow WhatsApp to advance in the novelties that it prepares for the most modern devices, such as the encryption of backups, self-destructing images or multi- device support. In the end, it will be something that will benefit us all. It is recommended to use latest iPhone for WhatsApp support.