WhatsApp shuts down on Windows 10 Mobile on 31st Dec

by Mark Tyson on 20 November 2019, 12:11

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Windows Phone

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Windows 10 Mobile will receive its last official cumulative update from Microsoft next month. For those still clinging to an old Windows Phone that provides a bit of time to get a new smartphone which will be supported and secured with software and firmware updates - and a supply of apps.

On the topic of apps, Windows Mobile users have been suffering from an ever decreasing choice in this respect for years now. One app category seen as an essential by many smartphone users is a rich messenger app and one of the biggest is set to abandon Windows Mobile / Windows Phone on 31st December.

WhatsApp will stop working on Windows Phones from 31st December, reports WindowsArea.de. At the same time it is dropping support for older OS versions like Android version 2.3.7 and iOS 7.

Windows 10 Mobile will get its last cumulative update on or around 10th December, which is bad enough but Windows Phone 8.1 users will feel a bigger blow (to their unsupported since mid-2017 platform). On 16th Dec the Windows Phone Store will be completely shut down, leaving users only the apps they already have installed.

For those still rocking a Windows Phone/Mobile, Microsoft recommends "that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device". In the meantime it is further recommended that Windows 10 Mobile users manually create a backup which will save OS settings, apps and so on as "device backup functionality and other backend services will be phased out," after 10th Dec.

HEXUS Forums :: 20 Comments

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Posted by skotsbox - Wed 20 Nov 2019 13:08
So I guess I'm just going to not have a phone. Because there are no other options would never use a Google product. I know it slips into my main system but I try hard to keep it out. Apple might be an option although I would hate myself for. So ideas won't have a phone. I really think when Windows shut down its phone division it missed the ball. If it would've just waited another year till Windows 10 started catching on I think it would win a lot smoother.
Posted by [GSV]Trig - Wed 20 Nov 2019 13:11
So what are MS doing then, given the Surface Neo/Duo and phone capabilities, or are we now at the point with mobile devices where they are powerful enough to Win10 and just add a “phone” app as long as the device has the hardware requirements?
Posted by Wrinkly - Wed 20 Nov 2019 13:45
Maybe now we can get back to having a desktop OS designed for the desktop?
Posted by LSG501 - Wed 20 Nov 2019 13:45
skotsbox
So I guess I'm just going to not have a phone. Because there are no other options would never use a Google product. I know it slips into my main system but I try hard to keep it out. Apple might be an option although I would hate myself for. So ideas won't have a phone. I really think when Windows shut down its phone division it missed the ball. If it would've just waited another year till Windows 10 started catching on I think it would win a lot smoother.

Sailfish (jolla) or tyzen (samsung) are an option still.
Posted by scaryjim - Wed 20 Nov 2019 15:04
skotsbox
So I guess I'm just going to not have a phone. …

Nokia 8110 4G runs KaiOS, a “smart feature” OS based off Firefox (I assume the Firefox OS that did the rounds a few years ago). It comes with WhatsApp installed as standard and has an app store (although you can't access it without a KaiOS device, so lord knows what's in there ;) ).

I can't say I'm surprised by this though, apart from perhaps that it's taken quite so long to happen. Been on the cards for over 2 years.

'[GSV
Trig;4151471']So what are MS doing then, given the Surface Neo/Duo and phone capabilities, or are we now at the point with mobile devices where they are powerful enough to Win10 and just add a “phone” app as long as the device has the hardware requirements?

Pretty much that. They've been working on Windows on ARM for that cellular laptop (or whatever they're calling it) concept, and afaict they're pushing for a common kernel between all Microsoft devices. There'll probably be different UI elements and ways of installing applications (I imagine a “phone” version of Windows 10 would only have access to the Store, like Windows 10 S) etc. but the core OS should be the same…

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