The company does not control the distribution of updates for most devices outside of its lineup.
Google has announced that mobile devices running Android 12 or older versions will no longer receive updates to address new vulnerabilities.
This means that owners of smartphones released in 2021 and earlier, who cannot upgrade their operating system to at least version 13, should replace their devices.
In fact, this concerns approximately one billion smartphones, which is 42% of all devices running Android OS.
According to Google, only 57.9% of devices currently run on Android 13 or newer. Among them, only 7.5% of Android phones are operating on the latest version, Android 16.
Although Google develops Android, the company does not control the distribution of updates for most phones outside of its Pixel lineup. Brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Motorola decide how long their devices are supported, often stopping updates just a few years after release.
Failing to update a phone can lead to significant security risks (hacking, data theft), decreased performance and battery life, as well as incompatibility with new app versions. An outdated OS makes the device vulnerable to viruses, causes errors, freezes, and does not support modern features, which may require early replacement of the gadget.
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