All smartphone has an expiration date, in terms of security updates at least. A website allows you to know when your phone will no longer remain protected, and thus guarantee your long-term mobile security.
Lately, the news surrounding smartphones has been rather dense, you will agree. The iPhone 15 range arrived in the wake of the new iOS 17, and that of the Pixel 8 will be revealed this week. A majority of users like to focus on things like the power, price, photo and video quality of their current or future phone. But a crucial question arises: how long will our phone stay updated? A website exists to give you the right information in just a few clicks.
Calculate the longevity of your smartphone: how long will you receive updates?
If the recent deployment of iOS 17 allowed the iPhone XS and XR released in 2018 to see their software lifespan be extended, this is unfortunately not the norm. Take Google for example. The Mountain View firm only guarantees three years of Android updates for its Pixel phones so far. The Pixel 4a, which sold rather well in France when it was released in 2020, has for example not been updated since this summer. But rumor has it that the arrival of the Pixel 8 could guarantee consumers seven years of Android updates.
Samsung, for its part, generally climbs to four years of updates for its Galaxy, but remains far from Fairphone, which excels in this area with impressive support that can range from five to ten years.
We were talking about the software update, but regarding the security update, which is at least as important, things are slightly different. Google, Samsung, and Fairphone offer five years of security updates, while Apple only offers one to two years of security support after major updates end. The Cupertino company also indicates that its products become obsolete after seven years.
What happens when your smartphone security updates end?
But what happens when security updates end? While your phone won’t instantly become unusable, you may experience issues with apps that require the latest versions of iOS or Android. Even worse, your security is compromised because unpatched vulnerabilities can expose your data. Attacks targeting older operating systems are becoming more common.
While practice, common sense, and caution can reduce the risks, upgrading your smartphone is still the best option. You won’t necessarily need a brand new device to get the latest Android or iOS updates. When you choose to replace your old phone, make sure you do so responsibly, to minimize your environmental footprint.
The endoflife.date site, which Clubic was able to discover, provides you with information on the lifespan of your mobile. The latter lists the end of support dates for multiple devices, including all those we were able to mention in this article. Always remember that the longevity of your phone depends not only on the brand, but also on how diligent you are about updates and security.
6