Warning: Whatsapp to stop working on older smartphones
Messaging app Whatsapp has stopped working on a range of dated smartphones today, the company has confirmed. From December 31, Whatsapp, owned by Facebook, will no longer work on Microsoft's Windows Phone and all smartphones running on Windows Mobile software as the company no longer develops for Windows mobile platforms. Facebook said users of Microsoft operating systems had not been able to create new Whatsapp accounts since earlier this year, after Microsoft announced it intends to kill off its phone software. Microsoft has urged smartphone users still using its operating systems to switch to an iPhone or Android by January. Whatsapp, which launched in 2009, has also confirmed it would remove some support for some older Apple and Android devices in 2020. Android versions 2.3.7 and older, and iOS 8 and older will lose support for the messaging service on February 1, Daily Mail reports. Each year Whatsapp removes support for older devices it says do not "offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future". "'This was a tough decision but the right one to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family and loved ones," the messenger service said. Some support for older phone using Windows operating systems was removed at the beginning of 2018, along with support for BlackBerry devices. Facebook stopped developing its Facebook, Messenger and Instagram apps for Windows Phones in April. Apple says only 7 per cent of devices are running on a version of its operating system older than its latest iOS 12, released in 2018. Whatsapp will continue to support devices running on Android 4.0.3 and onwards, and iPhones running on iOS 9 and onwards.
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!