Over 1 Billion Android Devices No Longer Get Security Updates - Olmec Skip to main content

Over 1 Billion Android Devices No Longer Get Security Updates

By March 26, 2020May 9th, 2022Cybersecurity

According to the latest statistics, there are more than 2.5 billion Android devices in use around the world. That’s a lot of devices by any reckoning. According to statistics gathered by Consumer Watchdog Which?, more than a billion of those devices are no longer receiving security updates.

That is scary. That puts an awful lot of devices at grave risk.

The reason is much simpler than you might expect. According to Google’s data, some 40 percent of the Android devices in use today are running Android 6 or earlier. Those versions of the operating system are out of support and no longer getting security updates at all.

It begs the question then, what version of the Android OS are you running.? If you don’t know, it pays to pull your phone out right now, go into your system settings and find out. If you’re running 6.0 or earlier, it’s well past time for an upgrade.

When smartphones first came out, people traded up to the latest and greatest model every year. These days, that’s much less common. People are simply holding onto their phones for significantly longer periods of time than they used to. That’s having the side effect that long before they upgrade, their phone stops getting security updates, which puts them and their data at increased risk.

It’s something most people just don’t think much about, sadly. If you’re in that camp, we urge you to check your phone right now while you’re still thinking about it. If you’re running an older version of the operating system, download the latest and greatest, which is Android 10.

Nobody thinks they’ll ever be the victim of identity theft until it happens, and by then, of course, it’s much too late. Check your phone. You’ll be glad you did.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.