WhatsApp already claims a user base of up to one billion, making it the single most popular messaging application.
Back in 2009, when WhatsApp was launched, about 70 percent of smartphones sold at the time had operating systems offered by BlackBerry and Nokia, and people's use of mobile devices looked very different from today.
Now, fast forward to 2016, Google, Apple and Microsoft accounts for over 95 percent of smartphone sales today.
The main reason for discontinuation of support for affected mobile devices is because they don't offer the kind of capabilities needed to expand the app's features in the future.
WhatsApp also stated that it wants to turn its focus on “the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use” instead of supporting legacy operating systems.
However, when an app with the kind of user base as WhatsApp starts dumping platforms — a large chunk of users will definitely be affected, as the messaging platform is increasingly a “must-have” app for everyday communication.
The company has recommended upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone before the end of 2016 to continue using the app, albeit no specific date has been set for the end of support.
