41–50 of 474 posts
I have an old HTC Inspire (circa 2011) I still use in my kitchen to control a stereo system. I'm shocked anything on it still works. It's probably a terrible security vulnerability I should throw away.
For most users, the phone works and they don't care. For everyone in my family, iOS updates are just an annoyance.
Yes, I think user apathy has to be a big part of it. I have a 2012 iPhone5 with iOS 6.1.3 still on it. I never upgraded it. When iOS 7 came out, all the news reports said it killed the battery. Same with iOS 8, 9, and finally iOS X. Yes, I assume that eventually, iOS point release 7.x.x fixed the battery issue but I don't care to keep visiting news websites to figure out which exact version is finally "safe" to upgra…
This is probably because it has a better jailbreak scene around it than newer versions of iOS. Also, just as an FYI, the latest version of iOS is 11, and they're not numbered using roman numerals.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It doesn't help that "upgrading" an iOS device is a one-way ticket. Religiously updating the original iPad effectively bricked it (not literally, but to all intents and purposes) years ahead of its natural lifetime, due to one particular major release that killed performance, reliability and battery life in one fell swoop. If there no going back, why would you risk going forward?
Security fixes, new features, etc.?
Having to wait and sometimes pray for your vendor to ship an update is why I chose to stick to the Nexus line of phones until it ended. My next device may or may not be a Pixel, but the above coupled with the shitty "value adds" like custom file managers and stuff that Samsung et al tend to cram into their already bloated Android implementations pretty much guarantees I'll never by a Samsung or similar. My wife's Gal…
That's a good question.
I've got a 7 or 8 year old Google Nexus phone. Google stopped updating the OS 5 years ago. The only impact I've noticed is that newer apps won't run on and older OS. For me, however, that really isn't a problem since I use it for making and receiving calls and texts, and checking my email. Right now, I'm in no hurry to lay out hundreds for a new phone, Apple or Android, that will be obsoleted in just a couple years w…
These are the sorts of transparent attacks you don't notice and which cannot be mitigated with anti-virus or avoiding downloading sketchy apps. The sketchy stuff is already running on the device in the form of the OS and apps you use within it. Note that a large number of these vectors were never publicly disclosed including a vulnerability with Samsung Knox that I reported. When it was in use, the device would accept any cert.
> If we look at the newest Android release (8.0, 8/2017), it looks like you’re quite lucky if you have a two year old device that will get the latest update. The oldest “Google” phone supported is the Nexus 6P (9/2015), giving it just under two years of support. And 2 years is the best-case scenario. Compare to nearly 5 years for iOS devices (which, as far as I can tell was prompted only by a move to 64-bit SoC). It'…
They aren't Google devices. They're phones made by companies who downloaded and installed Android on them.
This issue was predicted (and observed) years ago, almost since the release of Android in fact, and is only getting worse.
That is all due to Google's own choices.
I've got a 7 or 8 year old Google Nexus phone. Google stopped updating the OS 5 years ago. The only impact I've noticed is that newer apps won't run on and older OS. For me, however, that really isn't a problem since I use it for making and receiving calls and texts, and checking my email. Right now, I'm in no hurry to lay out hundreds for a new phone, Apple or Android, that will be obsoleted in just a couple years w…
The problem that you don't notice is the lack of security updates.
I really wish Google would expand their service lifetime on their own devices, because I feel 2 years is really too short.
Even in the low-end/unbranded devices, I'm seeing a gradual removal of hardware features and general lack of parts (screens, cases, etc.) availability, while replacement parts for models several years old are still plentiful.
For most users, the phone works and they don't care. For everyone in my family, iOS updates are just an annoyance.
Yes, I think user apathy has to be a big part of it. I have a 2012 iPhone5 with iOS 6.1.3 still on it. I never upgraded it. When iOS 7 came out, all the news reports said it killed the battery. Same with iOS 8, 9, and finally iOS X. Yes, I assume that eventually, iOS point release 7.x.x fixed the battery issue but I don't care to keep visiting news websites to figure out which exact version is finally "safe" to upgra…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They aren't Google devices. They're phones made by companies who downloaded and installed Android on them.
The Nexus 6P was developed and sold directly by Google: https://www.google.com/nexus/6p/