Google throws nearly a billion Android users under the bus, refuses to patch OS vulnerability - Polidicks

[url]http://www.extremetech.com/mobile/197346-google-throws-nearly-a-billion-android-users-under-the-bus-refuses-to-patch-os-vulnerability[/url] [IMG]http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Android-Broken-348x196.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]When it comes to providing security updates for previous products, various manufacturers have pursued different strategies. Some, like Microsoft, tend to provide security updates long after they’ve stopped selling an operating system (Microsoft only [URL="http://www.extremetech.com/computing/180062-windows-xp-finally-put-to-sleep-by-microsoft-but-it-will-still-haunt-us-for-years-to-come"]stopped providing Windows XP support[/URL] last year). Others, like Google and Apple, have pursued tighter timelines for security updates. Google is now doubling down on that schedule, refusing to patch bugs in Android 4.3 or prior, even when those bugs could expose critical vulnerabilities on nearly a billion devices.[/QUOTE]

Seems like this is the reason: [quote] No, Google isn’t killing Android — it’s just ensuring that the only parts of the program that get feature updates, capability improvements, and performance enhancements are the parts that require licensing agreements and promises not to develop competing products. [/quote]

honestly if your device isnt running 4.4 or higher you need to install a rom that does

[quote]What Google is doing, in essence, is telling its user community “Sorry, you have to tell Samsung, LG, and Motorola to provide you with an updated version of our operating system.” This is hilariously impossible. It would never fly in the PC world — imagine Microsoft telling customers “Sorry, you have to make HP, Dell, and Lenovo provide you with a free update for our operating system.”[/quote] This is retarded and the headline is stupidly sensational, of course they rely on ROM patches, it's not like they can just update <4.2 and expect every manufacturer to implement the fix. It's not how it works.

[QUOTE=AJ10017;46917639]honestly if your device isnt running 4.4 or higher you need to install a rom that does[/QUOTE] I have a tablet that runs 4.2.1, I can't install anything newer on it or I'd lose 3G functionality because the developers are lazy and won't make a ROM for the 3g enabled version of the tablet

[QUOTE=Thunderbolt;46917665]I have a tablet that runs 4.2.1, I can't install anything newer on it or I'd lose 3G functionality because the developers are lazy and won't make a ROM for the 3g enabled version of the tablet[/QUOTE] Yeah I have a Samsung tablet like that. It's useless now because no one supports it anymore.

[QUOTE=Thunderbolt;46917665]I have a tablet that runs 4.2.1, I can't install anything newer on it or I'd lose 3G functionality because the developers are lazy and won't make a ROM for the 3g enabled version of the tablet[/QUOTE] Unless it's a really weird device, you should be able to flash the radio from your official 4.2.1 ROM onto the newer custom ROM? Might work a bit weird depending on the changes in Android, but I have done that before without an issue.

Welp.. All back onboard the Microsoft train, time to swap for Bing and Nokia.

[QUOTE=Tools;46917704]Welp.. All back onboard the Microsoft train, time to swap for Bing and Nokia.[/QUOTE] Microsoft does this too

[QUOTE=HarryHy;46917685]Unless it's a really weird device, you should be able to flash the radio from your official 4.2.1 ROM onto the newer custom ROM? Might work a bit weird depending on the changes in Android, but I have done that before without an issue.[/QUOTE] Yeah that's the problem, I have no idea how to do that Last time I flashed a custom OS onto a phone was back in the Windows Mobile 5/6 era

Why is this issue being so overblown all of a sudden Google has no control over these older devices, OEM's won't fucking update them.

[QUOTE=AJ10017;46917639]honestly if your device isnt running 4.4 or higher you need to install a rom that does[/QUOTE] Yeah, I don't. I'm currently on 4.1, I don't trust any of the custom roms out there, and I don't want to risk bricking my phone or make it function less good, just because Google can't update small bugs without having to bother the companies who build the phones. And I sure as hell ain't gonna buy a 200 euro phone each two years just because Google can't release a proper OS that updates properly.

[QUOTE=Medevila;46917724]even Canonical does it with Ubuntu, it's a dumb article[/QUOTE] Android 4.3 is 1 and a half year old. Neither Canonical, nor Microsoft, nor even fucking Apple have refused to patch a vulnerability on a OS that's not even 2 years old. [editline]13th January 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=Lyokanthrope;46917766]Why is this issue being so overblown all of a sudden Google has no control over these older devices, OEM's won't fucking update them.[/QUOTE] A lot of OEMs patched 4.0+ Android when the Heartbleed bug came about, even on older devices, it's at least possible that they would have also done it in this case.

[QUOTE=TDocter;46917780]Yeah, I don't. I'm currently on 4.1, I don't trust any of the custom roms out there, and I don't want to risk bricking my phone or make it function less good, just because Google can't update small bugs without having to bother the companies who build the phones. And I sure as hell ain't gonna buy a 200 euro phone each two years just because Google can't release a proper OS that updates properly.[/QUOTE] Come on i have an HP Touchpad from 2011 and its not even supposed to run android, and i have 4.4 running on it. Any decent roms for any device will have instructions on how to recover the phone if it does brick

[QUOTE=TDocter;46917780]Yeah, I don't. I'm currently on 4.1, I don't trust any of the custom roms out there, and I don't want to risk bricking my phone or make it function less good, just because Google can't update small bugs without having to bother the companies who build the phones. And I sure as hell ain't gonna buy a 200 euro phone each two years just because Google can't release a proper OS that updates properly.[/QUOTE] Do you also use XP?

[QUOTE=itisjuly;46917894]Do you also use XP?[/QUOTE] that's not exactly a fair comparison, I have a device that is only three years old that won't be officially updated beyond 4.1 granted phones don't last as long but that is a bit quick to be obsolete

I don't get it, Google doesn't have the ability to push OS updates directly to phones, only your provider or you can do that. Am i missing something here?

[QUOTE=cani;46917991]I don't get it, Google doesn't have the ability to push OS updates directly to phones, only your provider or you can do that. Am i missing something here?[/QUOTE] They can but only on stock rom. On custom like what most providers use, google can't for obvious reasons.

How is this even a reliable source when the article is so much bullshit

This scared the shit out of me since I didn't know what version I had on my phone because it really doesn't matter on Android in the same way it does on iOS, and thankfully, I have 4.4.2. Doesn't change the fact that this is really, really dumb of them to do.

Wish they would to force a stock Android version, but then you'd face the fact that it will take a horribly long time to port it to all the devices. I knew it was a awful idea to buy a Samsung phone these days. I used to have a GT-I9001, but for some reason it kinda bricked so I bought the GT-I8200N, but I was really doubting between this phone and the Moto E. On the other hand, this phone DOES have a decent camera and flash, which I commonly use as bicycle headlight at night. [T]http://i.imgur.com/8MY63Ur.jpg[/T]

[QUOTE=itisjuly;46917894]Do you also use XP?[/QUOTE] 4.1 release date: June 27 2012 XP release date: August 24 2001 Don't be an ass.

[QUOTE=Merijnwitje;46918344]Wish they would to force a stock Android version, but then you'd face the fact that it will take a horribly long time to port it to all the devices. I knew it was a awful idea to buy a Samsung phone these days. I used to have a GT-I9001, but for some reason it kinda bricked so I bought the GT-I8200N, but I was really doubting between this phone and the Moto E.[/QUOTE] Get a Nexus phone and you won't have those problems.

I'm just tired of not seeing Google deal with the all the fragmentation that Android has. Honestly, things would be a lot easier if Google forced OEMs to include stock Android as standard on their models.

[QUOTE=Hamsteronfire;46918362]I'm just tired of not seeing Google deal with the all the fragmentation that Android has. Honestly, things would be a lot easier if Google forced OEMs to include stock Android as standard on their models.[/QUOTE] Android is open source. They can't force shit like that. Nor do they want to be like Apple does in that, or any aspect.

[QUOTE=agentfazexx;46918350]Get a Nexus phone and you won't have those problems.[/QUOTE] Shame N6 is overpriced as hell.

[QUOTE=itisjuly;46918375]Shame N6 is overpriced as hell.[/QUOTE] $250 in-contract isn't overpriced.

[QUOTE=agentfazexx;46918377]$250 in-contract isn't overpriced.[/QUOTE] Buying on contract isn't as common outside the US. The fact is its A LOT more expensive than we expected for a Nexus device.

The people that are angry at google for this are silly and don't understand how updates for android phones work. Google doesn't update the software for your device. Ever. They give the updated operating system to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer & carrier determine when you get the upgrade. The only time Google themselves updates a phone's OS is when it's a Google phone. For example: Android 4.5 comes out. Google gives the OS update to all the manufacturers licensed to make Android phones. The manufacturers re-work their own launchers and user interfaces to work better with it, then determine which phones they feel can handle the update best. When they decide to release the update to those phones, they work with the carrier to set up a software update pushed to those particular devices. Google isn't screwing anyone, the title is misleading. What's happening here is Google has stopped supporting older versions of their operating system, like literally every other OS manufacturer ever. [editline]13th January 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=agentfazexx;46918377]$250 in-contract isn't overpriced.[/QUOTE] Yes it is, considering for the longest time the go-to price for new phones on contract was $200 and the go-to price for new phablets on contract was $300.

[QUOTE=agentfazexx;46918377]$250 in-contract isn't overpriced.[/QUOTE] if you buy something on contract, god have mercy on your soul.