1 Billion Android Devices at Serious Risk

Android is the world’s most popular operating system and how it got there was by being free and letting carriers handle customization, bloatware and updates. Even though Windows Phones were all updated directly from Microsoft at the same time just like Apple iPhones, it did not succeed.

Android only get updated to the new version of the operating system twice, so for two years. Google has separated operating system updates into two categories, feature updates and security updates. Even though you can spend similar amounts of money for a flagship Android device, you only get new OS features for two years and not make matters worse, your phone loses half its resale value in the first year, so where is the value?

Compare that to iPhone getting updates to the new version of the operating system for 4-5 years. The iPhone 6S, 6S Plus and SE that were released in 2016, got updated to the current version of iOS, iOS 13. Could you imagine if Android 11 were on phones from 2016?

According to the BBC, 1 billion current Android users are no longer receiving security updates. Google’s own data suggests that 42.1% of Android users worldwide are on version 6, just for reference users are receiving version 10 currently. That is 2 in 5 Android users were no longer getting security updates.

According to ‘Which?’ they asked AV Comaratives to infect a number of android phones that were no longer supported by Google’s security updates to infect them with malware. They were able to infect every single one. They reached out to Google, but the Big Tech Giant “failed to provide reassurance that it has plans in place to help users whose devices were no longer supported.”

Kevin Bevan, Computing Editor of Which? said, “It’s very concerning that expensive Android Devices have such a short shelf life before they lose security support, leaving millions of users at risk of serious consequences if they fall victim to hackers.”

How to check weather you can update to a new version of the OS

Go to Settings > System > Update

If you cannot update, your phone could be at risk of being hacked.

Unfortunately, the only options are to keep what you have a hope for the best, buy a new Android phone and deal with this again in a few years or buy and iPhone. It is really sad that the only choices we have is either buy an Android device with all of its problems or buy and iPhone with of its problems, well that is a duopoly for you.

By Platform De.Central | Source BBC