Petteri Pyyny
28 Mar 2017 5:54
Facebook has announced that it will stop supporting the Messenger platform for Windows Phones running WP8.1 or older. As over 75 percent of Windows Phone models are still running WP8.1 or older, rather than the new Windowd 10, this effectively kills the instant messaging app for WP.
Furthermore, the Facebook's flagship application versions still supporting messaging through the app itself (rather than forcing users to use Messenger's own app) will stop working by end of March, 2017. This change includes also all older versions of Android apps. So, if you have postponed updating your Facebook app in order to keep using Messenger through it, you are running out of time now. Facebook made the announcement through its Messenger blog.
The blow to WP platform is hard - and even harder, considering the fact that Microsoft itself dropped Skype's support for WP8.1 earlier this month.
Facebook will send an email to affected users and suggest alternative routes, such as switching to a new phone, updating to Windows 10 (an option which is out of reach for most WP users, due small RAM capacity in most sold devices) or using Messenger through desktop browser.