Here's what I found:
The most reliable solution is to upgrade to a device that supports Android 5.0 or higher [14]. Many budget-friendly modern phones now run much newer versions (Android 13 or 14) and will support WhatsApp for many years to come. whatsapp latest version android 444 free
: Using older, unsupported versions (if found) leaves your device highly vulnerable to security threats since they no longer receive official patches from WhatsApp or Google. Here's what I found: The most reliable solution
to see if a manufacturer update to Android 5.0+ is available. Unofficial APKs (Not Recommended) whatsapp latest version android 444 free
: If no update is available, upgrading to a more modern smartphone is the only way to continue using WhatsApp securely. WhatsApp drops support for Android KitKat