Kakao Talk ending support for Windows Phone users in December

In a refrain that has become all too common to Windows phone users this year, yet another service is dropping support for Microsoft’s mobile platform. This time, it’s Kakao Talk, a WhatsApp-like app which was aimed at South Korea. Much like Line, Viber, and iMessage, the app was more than a simple messaging app, offering features that enhanced communication – even reaching beyond that and allowing users so share gifts and pay with their phones. While most of those features were iOS and Android only, there still existed a small sliver of hope that the app would be updated to incorporate them.

In a new message to Kakao Talk users, the firm has how announced the end of support for Windows phone users. From December 15, 2016, Windows phone users will be unable to send or receive messages, nor will they be able to download the app from the Store.

End of Support for Windows Phone

We regret to inform you that we are officially ending support for KakaoTalk for Windows Phone as of December 15, 2016.

Please note that you will not be able to send or receive messages but still be able to read past messages in your chatrooms.

While it is possible that Kakao may come back with a UWP, they may not bother creating a UWP that works on Windows phones – much like WeChat didn’t. However, it can be argued that Windows phones didn’t have much penetration in South Korea anyway – where the app was most typically used – and as such the effect of this would be minimal. It is also worth noting that the more popular messenger apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and Skype still support Windows phones one way or another, at least for now.