Whatsapp Drops Support For Android KitKat: Latest Updates

26 October 2023

Being the most used messaging app, Whatsapp makes business and personal communication easy and universal around the globe. It is important that the app is available to as many people as possible because of its global reach. It is also necessary to keep in mind that different people use different operating systems on their devices.

Given that not everyone has access to Android 14, many are still stuck with older versions. The most well-known version Android 4.4, has a user demography of 0.5%. The version was a huge success back in 2013. It has remained a crowd favorite, and it has been hard for many fans to let go.

https://twitter.com/AndroidPolice/status/1716941502654333320?s=20

The percentage has been going down steadily over the years, especially after Jelly Bean. It completely lost the support of Google in 2021, which made it obvious that Kit Kat would be up next.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has recently released a new version that drops support for Android KitKat. This is the only compatibility change that the report mentions at the moment.

While it is unlikely that there are many people still using Android 4.4 and relying on WhatsApp regularly, this decision could help reduce maintenance overhead and improve the product for users of current operating systems.

Ending support for KitKat isn't new in the tech world. Dropbox ended its support for the Android 4.4 version over three years ago, and Android Messages, (now known as Messages by Google), also dropped its support for this old version in 2018. While we may cherish the fond memories of Android 4.4, technology moves fast, and sometimes, it's better to move on.

Recently, WhatsApp has been releasing a lot of updates for its Android version. One of the most significant updates is the multi-account switching feature, which allows users to use more than one WhatsApp account on one installation of the app instead of having multiple copies on their device. Besides, they are testing voice messages, stickers, and extra security features, such as hiding locked chats. As the most used messaging service, the more updates, the better.

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Meta Launching Free Subscription For Ad-Free Experience In Europe

Facebook and Instagram will be removing ads from their platforms and are introducing a paid subscription for users to avail of the feature. The service is available all over the European Union. It will be offered for roughly €9.99 per month on the web or €12.99 / month on iOS and Android to account for additional fees. Meta issued in their statement, “To comply with evolving European regulations, we are introducing a new subscription option in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. In November, we will be offering people who use Facebook or Instagram and reside in these regions the choice to continue using these personalized services for free with ads, or subscribe to stop seeing ads. While people are subscribed, their information will not be used for ads.” The subscription has been introduced to address the concerns of the European Union about Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices. Meta believes the new policy will have a more clear and definitive privacy requirement met. The requirements are set by the European data laws that include the Digital Markets Act and GDPR. Free access that comes with ads is set to remain available. “If you choose to continue to use our products for free, your experience will stay the same – and that experience will continue to be supported by the tools and settings that we have created to empower people to control their ads experience,” Meta explained. Meta has written in their blog post while announcing the subscription, “We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them.” The ad-free subscription will be available only for those 18 and above in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. It will initially apply across all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts. Eventually, however, Meta will be charging extra for linked accounts. Starting March 1st, 2024, there will be an additional fee of €6 on the web or €8 on iOS and Android per linked account. The company told The Wall Street Journal that it will temporarily stop showing ads to teenagers in the region from November 6. Read Also: Whatsapp Drops Support For Android KitKat: Latest Updates Manish Rawat’s Zinmatt Is Making Learning Free And Accessible Youtube’s Ad Sales For Q3 Fy23 Surged By 12.5%, Reaching Nearly $8 Billion

OpenAI Hires Back Sam Altman, The Previous CEO After Employees Rebels

Sam Altman, the previous CEO of OpenAI, returns after he was overthrown from the company by the last board members, including D’Angelo. Even though there was no specific information given as to why Altman was fired from the company, he is being hired back. The decision taken by the board of directors of OpenAI last Friday shocked the Artificial Intelligence industry, especially because it was Altman who was the face and one of the company's co-founders. The startup organization, OpenAI, faced internal conflict as another co-founder, Greg Brockman, resigned as the president. Furthermore, a board member and fellow co-founder of OpenAI posted on X about how he deeply regretted his decision to fire Sam Altman from his position as CEO. The post on the social media platform seemed like a mending of the bridge and trying to bring him back to the company. With all these developments among the senior management, the 770 startup employees also brazenly signed a letter. In the letter, the employees called for the previous CEO Altman's return and the previous board's resignation. On the other hand, Microsoft’s approach to hiring Altman might not be happening anymore after this development. The CEO Satya Nadella at Microsoft announced on Monday on X about the joining of Altman and Brockman to a new advanced team. Considering Microsoft is one of the largest investors of OpenAI, they believe that Altman will be working for them under any condition. He also confirmed that he is open to Altman going back to OpenAI as long as the board's problems at OpenAI are resolved along with the smooth governance of the organization. Initially, OpenAI was co-founded by Altman to benefit humanity by creating smarter content; however, it later became a profitable business. He also shouted out to the employees at OpenAI regarding their petition in support of Altman. Further, the CEO offered jobs that matched the current job profile and responsibilities of all employees at OpenAI. Learn More About: Is AI Changing The Insurance Sector? The Brains Behind ChatGPT: Who’s Pulling the Strings?

HBO Max Decides To Take Away 4K From Ad-Free Subscription Plans

In May, HBO Max underwent a transformation and became Max. At that time, Warner Bros. Discovery assured existing subscribers on the ad-free plan that they could enjoy certain perks, such as 4K streaming, for a minimum of six months without any additional charges. Now, as we approach that six-month mark, it's time for a change. Max is reaching out to its affected customers, notifying them that while their monthly subscription cost of $15.99 will remain unchanged, they will lose a couple of perks starting on or after 5 December 2023. Specifically, 4K (and HDR) streaming will no longer be available for legacy customers. They will be limited to HD quality, similar to new signups for Max's ad-free tier. To continue enjoying 4K playback, legacy subscribers can upgrade to the "ultimate" plan, which costs $19.99 per month. This will be done for users who use their plan on smartphones and on their smart televisions. Legacy ad-free subscribers also had an extra concurrent stream (for a total of three) compared to the standard two offered to new $15.99 plan subscribers. Unfortunately, this perk will also be discontinued starting with the December billing cycle. There is currently no clarification from Warner Bros. Discovery regarding whether any subset of customers can retain these benefits. It's worth noting that downloads remain unaffected by these changes. Both legacy and current ad-free customers can still save up to 30 titles on supported devices for offline viewing when they don't have an internet connection. For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, Max offers a "with ads" tier priced at $9.99. While this tier doesn't include offline downloads, it does allow for two simultaneous streams and offers HD picture quality. Additionally, Max recently introduced an optional sports add-on that is free until 29 February 2024 but will cost an additional $9.99 per month for customers who wish to continue using it. Read Also: Elon Musk To Introduce New Products That Will Challenge YouTube And LinkedIn YouTube Premium Introduces International Price Hikes After Cracking Down Ad Blockers

Whatsapp Drops Support For Android KitKat: Latest Updates

Manish Rawat’s Zinmatt Is Making Learning Free And Accessible

Youtube’s Ad Sales For Q3 Fy23 Surged By 12.5%, Reaching Nearly $8 Billion

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Manish Rawat’s Zinmatt Is Making Learning Free And Accessible

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Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Follow Us

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