'This was a tough decision for us': WhatsApp will stop working on some phones after New Year's Eve

With the New Year just around the corner, WhatsApp is reminding users that the messenger service will soon stop working on certain smartphones and mobile platforms in 2018. In an update to a blog post first published in February 2016, the company said WhatsApp will end support for handsets running Windows 8.0 or older versions of the operating system, BlackBerry OS or BlackBerry 10 from 1 January 2018.

Although the end of support does not mean the Facebook-owned app will cease to function on these platforms immediately. However, the company warned that since it will no longer "actively develop for these platforms", some features may stop functioning "at any time".

Users will no longer be able to create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts on these platforms either.

WhatsApp stopped supporting Nokia Symbian S60 after June 30.

The app is also looking to cut support for Nokia S40 devices on 31 December 2018, and devices running Android versions 2.3.7 and older on 1 February 2020.

Since 2009, WhatsApp has continued to roll out new and improved features from end-to-end encryption, video calling and verified accounts to the ability to delete messages and share your location in real-time. In September, the company reported that one billion people across the globe use its platform daily.

However, it has continued to drop support for older devices as well. By the end of 2016, it ceased support for Android versions 2.1 and 2.2, Windows Phone 7 and iPhone 3GS/iOS 6.

"These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future," the company said. "If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone."

"This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp."