WhatsApp will drop support for Windows Phone 8.0 in December

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

If you're a WhatsApp user still on Windows Phone 8.0, you may want to start thinking about an upgrade. WhatsApp has announced that it will end support for Windows Phone 8.0 on December 31, 2017 (via Neowin).

Windows Phone 8.0 isn't the only platform that is losing support from WhatsApp at the end of the year; BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and Nokia S40 are included as well. WhatsApp simply states that you won't be able to use the app after December 31, but it does caution that "some features may stop functioning at any time" because these apps are no longer being actively developed.

This move is likely to affect only a very small group of people, not least because Windows Phone 8.0 is no longer even supported by Microsoft. Fortunately, the app will continue to be supported on Windows 10 Mobile for some time, and Windows Phone 8.1 continues to enjoy support as well.

Download WhatsApp from the Windows Store (opens in new tab)

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

27 Comments
  • Great. Now all you have to do is build a UWP
  • Sooner rather than later IMO
  • Not really. They're still supporting 8.1 which a pot of people are still using.
  • Most people use 8.1 on phones to this day. Might as well say "build a PC app". Windows 10 mobile has no relevance to regular consumers, fans, or to Microsoft itself, for that matter.
  • The "PC app" that you talk about, can be a UWP app, with can work in both form factors
  • And a PC app is pretty pointless because WhatsApp requires you to have a sim card and phone number to function
  • Hopefully their new app will work on W10M.
  • When/if windows 10 on arm ultra mobile "phone" comes, then they need to have a UWP app since silverlight will not be supported.
  • Thinking of the robust functionality that WhatsApp is adding to keep the app up-to-date like Android and iOS counterpart it will take a lot of time to build a UWP app from scratch. Or they will have to port iOS app via OSMeta, because they will be short of time.
  • Whazup Mark?!
  • Phew, I'm glad that there's a seperation between 8.1 and 8 here. I was scared for a moment there.
  • +1
  • Good. Should 10 be dropped, then sadly i would have to switch platforms. Thankfully they seem to be one of the strong supporters.
  • 10 SHOULD be dropped. Most people use 8.1, and it is the better OS, unlike 10, the never-finished laggy crap beta OS which can officially be found on no phones released this year. Wait, what are the news with cerulean?
  • As if there aren't enough issues with windows phone :-// it is dying to die and we are dying for it to live, but it ain't happening for the masses :-@
  • WhatsApp is in win10.desktop store, and win10.arm is coming... it's good thing app devs now only need to focus on win10, game devs now only need to focus on win10 + xbox.
  • I have seen 2 updates in the last week or so for the app on my 950.
  • Damn, BB10 users are cut out too? Are they still on 10, or are they at like BB11-12 by now?
  • I think BB10 is the last version. It does get some updates but probably not a different version number.
  • BB10 is basically in hold at the moment, with no updates in sight actually
    They are full in on Android now
  • Need a uwp version of WhatsApp ASAP
  • Phew, my trusty 925 lives on for a while yet 😊
  • Fake news
  • Yep my 4 year old 925 too!
  • Great. So Microsoft left us on Windows Phone 8.1 and now won't support us with Skype anymore, but Whatsapp will. Why do I have the feeling this is backwards?
  • they should end support for the pathetic windows 10 mobile also! a total waste of resources on this mediocre platform.
  • Windows 10 mobile supported only for some time this is madness