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The top Android OEM's now offer 3/4 OS updates and 5 years of security updates. It's time to let go of the "Android software update problem is a tragedy" critic

by kernal 4y ago

The top Android OEM's now offer 3/4 OS updates and 5 years of security updates. It's time to let go of the "Android software update problem is a tragedy" criticism. And if you still want to use your Android phone after 5 years there's a good chance that there will be a LineageOS build for it.

tga_d 4y ago
>And if you still want to use your Android phone after 5 years there's a good chance that there will be a LineageOS build for it. There's a chance, but unless you checked for support in advance, a "good chance" seems like a bit of a stretch. Unless you mean unofficial builds, which are either too much work for most users, or not especially trustworthy.
- kernal 4y ago
  I have a Nexus 5, released in 2013, running Android 13 surprisingly well. >Unless you mean unofficial builds, which are either too much work for most users, or not especially trustworthy. The process to install an unofficial build is the exact same as an official build. New updates can even be downloaded and installed in settings with a tap of a button.
  - tga_d 4y ago
    Nexus and Pixel devices are top of the line phones that are famously well supported by ROMs, the sort of "check for support in advance" I mentioned. Unofficial builds are not the "exact same", else they would be official builds. Unofficial builds are usually distributed without source (let alone working build instructions) as opaque blobs that you have to trust some random XDA user, with no verifiable background, didn't do anything too horrible to. At best, you're pretty much guaranteed to be getting a build without selinux enabled; at worst, you're getting straight up malware. quick edit to clarify: the "too much work" I mentioned before was the rare instance where there is source, and you have to build yourself to get anything trustworthy
    - kernal 4y ago
      All LineageOS builds, regardless of whether they are official or unofficial, are insecure by default as the binary blobs are outdated and will never be updated. LineageOS is the point of last resort if you want to update your EOL device to a newer OS build while sacrificing security. >Nexus and Pixel devices are top of the line phones that are famously well supported by ROMs, the sort of "check for support in advance" I mentioned. If the bootloader can be unlocked then there is going to be a LineageOS build for it. >Unofficial builds are usually distributed without source (let alone working build instructions) as opaque blobs that you have to trust some random XDA user, with no verifiable background, didn't do anything too horrible to. At best, you're pretty much guaranteed to be getting a build without selinux enabled; at worst, you're getting straight up malware. The vast majority of Unofficial LineageOS builds are performed by Recognized XDA developers. So, no, we're not trusting some random XDA developer. Additionally, SELinux is in enforcing mode on my unofficial Android 13 Nexus 5 build.
bayindirh 4y ago
Do not forget that every OS update needs to go through your carrier before arriving to you, and they might not care to do the vetting work, barring you from getting the updates. On the other hand, an iPhone is usable for 9-10 years with updates and EOL support. You'll change your battery once in mid-life if you look after your device well.
- kernal 4y ago
  My iPhone 6 was released on September 19, 2014 and it received its last OS update on September 17, 2018 with iOS 12 so it received only 4 OS updates updates. It continued to receive minor security updates until June, 2021 so about 6 1/2 years. Although, the security updates it received after 5 1/2 years were minor and not comparable to the full updates non EOL devices received.

by kernal 4y ago

tga_d 4y ago

>And if you still want to use your Android phone after 5 years there's a good chance that there will be a LineageOS build for it. There's a chance, but unless you checked for support in advance, a "good chance" seems like a bit of a stretch. Unless you mean unofficial builds, which are either too much work for most users, or not especially trustworthy.

kernal 4y ago
I have a Nexus 5, released in 2013, running Android 13 surprisingly well. >Unless you mean unofficial builds, which are either too much work for most users, or not especially trustworthy. The process to install an unofficial build is the exact same as an official build. New updates can even be downloaded and installed in settings with a tap of a button.
- tga_d 4y ago
  Nexus and Pixel devices are top of the line phones that are famously well supported by ROMs, the sort of "check for support in advance" I mentioned. Unofficial builds are not the "exact same", else they would be official builds. Unofficial builds are usually distributed without source (let alone working build instructions) as opaque blobs that you have to trust some random XDA user, with no verifiable background, didn't do anything too horrible to. At best, you're pretty much guaranteed to be getting a build without selinux enabled; at worst, you're getting straight up malware. quick edit to clarify: the "too much work" I mentioned before was the rare instance where there is source, and you have to build yourself to get anything trustworthy
  - kernal 4y ago
    All LineageOS builds, regardless of whether they are official or unofficial, are insecure by default as the binary blobs are outdated and will never be updated. LineageOS is the point of last resort if you want to update your EOL device to a newer OS build while sacrificing security. >Nexus and Pixel devices are top of the line phones that are famously well supported by ROMs, the sort of "check for support in advance" I mentioned. If the bootloader can be unlocked then there is going to be a LineageOS build for it. >Unofficial builds are usually distributed without source (let alone working build instructions) as opaque blobs that you have to trust some random XDA user, with no verifiable background, didn't do anything too horrible to. At best, you're pretty much guaranteed to be getting a build without selinux enabled; at worst, you're getting straight up malware. The vast majority of Unofficial LineageOS builds are performed by Recognized XDA developers. So, no, we're not trusting some random XDA developer. Additionally, SELinux is in enforcing mode on my unofficial Android 13 Nexus 5 build.

bayindirh 4y ago

Do not forget that every OS update needs to go through your carrier before arriving to you, and they might not care to do the vetting work, barring you from getting the updates. On the other hand, an iPhone is usable for 9-10 years with updates and EOL support. You'll change your battery once in mid-life if you look after your device well.

kernal 4y ago
My iPhone 6 was released on September 19, 2014 and it received its last OS update on September 17, 2018 with iOS 12 so it received only 4 OS updates updates. It continued to receive minor security updates until June, 2021 so about 6 1/2 years. Although, the security updates it received after 5 1/2 years were minor and not comparable to the full updates non EOL devices received.