5 ms·

"for one, it’s running an outdated version of Android that may make it vulnerable to hackers" Then I went to check what version it actually runs, and it's 4.4/

by gbl08ma 11y ago

"for one, it’s running an outdated version of Android that may make it vulnerable to hackers" Then I went to check what version it actually runs, and it's 4.4/KitKat. I do not have any phone with a version more recent than 4.4 (and that's the case for everyone I know). In fact, my phone is only running 4.4 because I went through the trouble to look in Russian forums for custom ROMs for it, since the manufacturer didn't get it beyond 4.2. My phone is a not very popular model, but even for some former flagships the only way to go is to get custom ROMs e.g. on XDA. Sure, I (and my friends) could get a new phone... but we are not interested in changing phones before they are even out of warranty (2 years in Europe). This is no surprise: Google's statistics[1] indicate 4.4 is still the most used version. Cheaper phones being launched with older Android versions doesn't help, that's true, but these cheaper models are good enough for many people. And to be honest, the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much. If only Android had an update policy more similar to Windows and some Linux distros, where you stay with a major release but get security updates for it, for a sane amount of time... [1] https://developer.android.com/intl/zh-tw/about/dashboards/index.html https://developer.android.com/intl/zh-tw/about/dashboards/in...

rtl49 11y ago
I'm not sure why the writer mentions this. (It's probably an excuse to link to another Vice article.) The Android version number in itself isn't a good indication of the phone's vulnerability. Stagefright, for instance, was patched for 4.4 in many phones without an upgrade to the API. An Android phone's security depends on whoever is responsible for maintaining the device's ROM, usually the carrier or phone manufacturer. Samsung, for instance, includes extensions intended to enhance security. Admittedly, for $10 I wouldn't expect much in the way of OTA updates. But except for a few changes to the framework in the way app permissions are handled, the version number isn't the best measure of security.
- brazzledazzle 11y ago
  I'm having flashbacks to security vulnerability scans that have no concept of back-ported patches.
digi_owl 11y ago
Frankly i would have gone with 4.3 over 4.4, as the latter is when Google decided to go heavy handed on file system access.
- samstave 11y ago
  I'm ignorant to all the diffs between android versions, is there a succinct place to read about it Less so about features and more so about semi-subjective statements like "heavy handed FS access"
  - digi_owl 11y ago
    http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-google-has-brought-big-changes-to-sd-cards-in-kitkat-and-even-samsung-may-be-implementing-them/ http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-googl...
yeukhon 11y ago
I am not here to sell iPhone but the number two reason I left Android (I was a Windows 5 mobile user, then Android, with a flag ship model, for ~2 years) is because you can only get the latest from custom ROMS. If Google takes customer service really seriously, Android will be amazing. I feel like Nexus is just a gimmick more than a real thing that Google cares about. My number one reason is simply the fact iPhone is built and sold by one company. This is a plus and a minus, but in the long run, amortize cost makes that a bigger plus than a minus. My experience so far, iOS devices can live up to at least four major OS updates. That's at least 2 years. I think my iPhone 3GS lasted about 4 years before I switched to iPhone 6 (at that time the power of 3GS was simply too slow to handle map and instant messaging).
- user_0001 11y ago
  >If Google takes customer service really seriously, Thanks for that, you brightened up my morning. Google and customer service :-) Perhaps if you are spending millions on adwords, you "might" get some customer service, but I doubt then it will be great
  - marcosdumay 11y ago
    No need for millions. I've spent $15 on adwords once, and since them I get letters from Google twice a year, with phone numbers I can call for support and a coupon.
    - s73v3r 11y ago
      Have you actually used the support numbers?
      - marcosdumay 11y ago
        No I didn't. I assume somebody will answer if I call there, but I have no idea about service quality.
  - samstave 11y ago
drzaiusapelord 11y ago
Upgrades and security fixes were recently de-coupled. Now responsible vendors do a monthly security updates, regardless of version. So if you're on the 4.x or 5.x tree you should be able to get these, OEM depending. The problem here is that a lot of smaller OEMs will never bother. Google might put mandatory security updates into its next Gapps contract. I guess we'll see. > the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much. I think the advances in volta/doze/app suspend for battery life and the 6.0 privacy settings, not to mention the Material overhaul are very big benefits to Android. Android 6.0 is a much more mature OS than the 4.x tree. In fact, I'd say they only recently have reached parity with iOS at this release. I don't get many "I should switch to iphone" feelings anymore. Many of my privacy and battery life concerns were addressed in 6.0 and the 6P is amazing hardware for the price.
- jkestner 11y ago
  Who are the responsible vendors (and ultimately we're talking about carriers)? This would be at the forefront of my decision of which Android phone to buy. If only there was some sort of alliance to update Android devices reliably.
  - anon1385 11y ago
    See http://androidvulnerabilities.org http://androidvulnerabilities.org
    - brazzledazzle 11y ago
      Does it have a way to filter by carrier? The same phone on Verizon will really lag on updates because they're control freaks.
sdegutis 11y ago
> went through the trouble to look in Russian forums for custom ROMs for it Why not just build the Android OS yourself and upload it?
- Phlarp 11y ago
  Have you ever actually tried doing this? Drivers, drivers, drivers. Even with a Nexus device this is far from straightforward. With a $10 walmart phone I doubt even Wifi would work properly-- let alone GPS, bluetooth or cellular data service.
zurn 11y ago
Officially Google still provides security patches for Android 4.4 but there is not much information on what this means in practice. How many OEMs actually make use of this and provide security patches for 4.4 devices? (source: https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resources.html https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resourc... - "Android security team currently provides patches for Android versions 4.4 (KitKat), 5.0 (Lollipop), and 5.1 (Lollipop MR1). This list of backport-supported versions changes with each new Android release.") Google themselves dropped the Nexus 7 v1 from security support a while ago, after having updated it to 5.1.
jzarra 11y ago
KitKat wear is vulnerable to hackers? :/ I recently morphed our current project to target KitKat. Perhaps I should do some research on this.

by gbl08ma 11y ago

rtl49 11y ago

I'm not sure why the writer mentions this. (It's probably an excuse to link to another Vice article.) The Android version number in itself isn't a good indication of the phone's vulnerability. Stagefright, for instance, was patched for 4.4 in many phones without an upgrade to the API. An Android phone's security depends on whoever is responsible for maintaining the device's ROM, usually the carrier or phone manufacturer. Samsung, for instance, includes extensions intended to enhance security. Admittedly, for $10 I wouldn't expect much in the way of OTA updates. But except for a few changes to the framework in the way app permissions are handled, the version number isn't the best measure of security.

brazzledazzle 11y ago
I'm having flashbacks to security vulnerability scans that have no concept of back-ported patches.

digi_owl 11y ago

Frankly i would have gone with 4.3 over 4.4, as the latter is when Google decided to go heavy handed on file system access.

samstave 11y ago
I'm ignorant to all the diffs between android versions, is there a succinct place to read about it Less so about features and more so about semi-subjective statements like "heavy handed FS access"
- digi_owl 11y ago
  http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-google-has-brought-big-changes-to-sd-cards-in-kitkat-and-even-samsung-may-be-implementing-them/ http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-googl...

yeukhon 11y ago

I am not here to sell iPhone but the number two reason I left Android (I was a Windows 5 mobile user, then Android, with a flag ship model, for ~2 years) is because you can only get the latest from custom ROMS. If Google takes customer service really seriously, Android will be amazing. I feel like Nexus is just a gimmick more than a real thing that Google cares about. My number one reason is simply the fact iPhone is built and sold by one company. This is a plus and a minus, but in the long run, amortize cost makes that a bigger plus than a minus. My experience so far, iOS devices can live up to at least four major OS updates. That's at least 2 years. I think my iPhone 3GS lasted about 4 years before I switched to iPhone 6 (at that time the power of 3GS was simply too slow to handle map and instant messaging).

user_0001 11y ago
>If Google takes customer service really seriously, Thanks for that, you brightened up my morning. Google and customer service :-) Perhaps if you are spending millions on adwords, you "might" get some customer service, but I doubt then it will be great
- marcosdumay 11y ago
  No need for millions. I've spent $15 on adwords once, and since them I get letters from Google twice a year, with phone numbers I can call for support and a coupon.
  - s73v3r 11y ago
    Have you actually used the support numbers?
    - marcosdumay 11y ago
      No I didn't. I assume somebody will answer if I call there, but I have no idea about service quality.
- samstave 11y ago

drzaiusapelord 11y ago

Upgrades and security fixes were recently de-coupled. Now responsible vendors do a monthly security updates, regardless of version. So if you're on the 4.x or 5.x tree you should be able to get these, OEM depending. The problem here is that a lot of smaller OEMs will never bother. Google might put mandatory security updates into its next Gapps contract. I guess we'll see. > the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much. I think the advances in volta/doze/app suspend for battery life and the 6.0 privacy settings, not to mention the Material overhaul are very big benefits to Android. Android 6.0 is a much more mature OS than the 4.x tree. In fact, I'd say they only recently have reached parity with iOS at this release. I don't get many "I should switch to iphone" feelings anymore. Many of my privacy and battery life concerns were addressed in 6.0 and the 6P is amazing hardware for the price.

jkestner 11y ago
Who are the responsible vendors (and ultimately we're talking about carriers)? This would be at the forefront of my decision of which Android phone to buy. If only there was some sort of alliance to update Android devices reliably.
- anon1385 11y ago
  See http://androidvulnerabilities.org http://androidvulnerabilities.org
  - brazzledazzle 11y ago
    Does it have a way to filter by carrier? The same phone on Verizon will really lag on updates because they're control freaks.

sdegutis 11y ago

> went through the trouble to look in Russian forums for custom ROMs for it Why not just build the Android OS yourself and upload it?

Phlarp 11y ago
Have you ever actually tried doing this? Drivers, drivers, drivers. Even with a Nexus device this is far from straightforward. With a $10 walmart phone I doubt even Wifi would work properly-- let alone GPS, bluetooth or cellular data service.

zurn 11y ago

Officially Google still provides security patches for Android 4.4 but there is not much information on what this means in practice. How many OEMs actually make use of this and provide security patches for 4.4 devices? (source: https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resources.html https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resourc... - "Android security team currently provides patches for Android versions 4.4 (KitKat), 5.0 (Lollipop), and 5.1 (Lollipop MR1). This list of backport-supported versions changes with each new Android release.") Google themselves dropped the Nexus 7 v1 from security support a while ago, after having updated it to 5.1.

jzarra 11y ago

KitKat wear is vulnerable to hackers? :/ I recently morphed our current project to target KitKat. Perhaps I should do some research on this.