WhatsApp Drops Support for These iPhone Models

WhatsApp has ended support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process. The change began on June 1, after Meta delayed it from an original planned date of May 5.

Whatsapp Feature
WhatsApp is no longer compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service through the app unless they upgrade their iPhone. Alternatively, users can visit web.whatsapp.com in their browser, but the experience won't be the same.

Users who intend to upgrade can back up their WhatsApp chats to iCloud, and restore their full chat and media history to a newer, supported device using using WhatsApp's Chat Transfer feature. Instructions on how to do so are outlined in WhatsApp's Help Center.

In related developments, WhatsApp is now available on the iPad, coming more than 15 years after the messaging service launched. An Instagram app for the iPad is also in the works.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

New MacBook Pros Could Now Arrive in March

Sunday February 8, 2026 6:02 am PST by
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...

Top Rated Comments

Reverend Benny Avatar
9 months ago

Is there anyone using iPhone 5s? 6? 6S :oops:?
I'd say there are a few around. Still decent phones aside that Apple has dropped support and don't update them anymore.
The new EU Ecodesign Regulation is a step in the right directon towards pushing manufacturers to support devices longer. Wouldn't have helped in this case tho.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kaa0s Avatar
9 months ago

Is there anyone using iPhone 5s? 6? 6S :oops:?
Me, 6S just for Apple Carplay. :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
9 months ago
Using a dedicated phone for Facebook marketplace, was using an iPhone 6 for a while until some of the features stopped working, was forced to upgrade to a seven which gave a bump to iOS 15 and for now am receiving app updates.

In reality it’s not necessarily Apple forcing us to buy new devices but the app developers dropping support for older iOS versions even though they still can release them as some of the developers do.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cicalinarrot Avatar
9 months ago
My dad was using a 6S until a few months ago.

He's 70, it still worked great for him, I got him a 3rd gen SE because I had to change the battery again and the storage was getting too thin. So... even what was starting to give problems was part of Apple's planned obsolescence agenda.

I mean, ten years seems like a lot but a fridge that costs $1000 can last 30 years, why shouldn't a phone?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cicalinarrot Avatar
9 months ago

Software & security advancements render older tech obsolete. You had your mileage out of the 6s so I don't know what you're complaining about.

Buying a 3rd Gen SE wasn't a very wise choice as it was already a few years old when you got it a few months ago.
The SE was just like the 6S my father had and very cheap, virtually unbeatable in terms of price per year of life.

Apple renders older tech obsolete. I use very old PCs and they work perfectly. The way I use them hasn't changed in more than a decade, no reason to get new ones for most use cases.
I had my mileage? Again, most annoying thing I couldn't fix was the storage, something Apple has historically kept low and pricey to make phones older earlier. Plus how bad media backup via USB works, I could talk about their evil methods all day long.

You are just accepting the lifespan Apple chose for you as a universal truth, which is exactly what they wanted. Phones could last longer, Apple just doesn't want them to. A phone with its battery glued inside with no possibility for most users to safely replace it was something almost unthinkable before the iPhone. They could make a Mac-like time machine to store media directly to a drive via USB, that'd make a whole lot of sense.

And, of course, using a 9 year old iPhone is an exception.

IMHO, once the company drops official support for a product, they should be legally required to unlock it 100%. Otherwise, they are just entitled to choose how much I can use the thing I bought. That's not how buying things works, that's a sick form of rent.
I decide when the phone is too old to work properly for me like I do with all other things I own. Hey, if they're right, they have nothing to lose.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
attohs Avatar
9 months ago

I mean, ten years seems like a lot but a fridge that costs $1000 can last 30 years, why shouldn't a phone?
What $1000 fridge today is lasting 30 years?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)