Waze to Discontinue Support for Older Android Devices

Popular navigation application Waze will soon cease providing updates to users employing older versions of the Android operating system, according to recent notifications and technical analysis. While Google continues development and feature enhancements for Waze alongside its own Google Maps platform – which has already incorporated several features previously exclusive to Waze – this change marks a shift in supported device compatibility.

Beginning with devices running Android 9 or earlier, users will no longer receive new app updates. This information surfaced initially via user reports on Reddit, and has been corroborated by Android Authority’s examination of the latest beta version of the application’s code. The updated Waze requires a minimum Android 10 operating system to function, representing an increase from previous support for Android versions 8 and 9.

Existing users with compatible older devices will retain access to the app; however, they won’t receive subsequent feature updates or bug fixes. A migration to Google Maps is presented as an alternative, though it’s noted that not all Waze functionalities are available within the competing application. Users on legacy Android systems may also consider upgrading their hardware to ensure ongoing compatibility with updated applications. While specific release dates for this update remain unconfirmed by a formal announcement from Google, users who rely on Waze should anticipate this transition and prepare accordingly.