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

The problem with this news article is that these security patches would have to be deployed via OTA updates from the manufacturers anyway. The manufacturers haven't updated the devices anymore so there isn't anything Google can do about it. The issue is also fixed in > 4.4 so that the security patches to that component can be deployed through Google Play Store, rather than rely on the manufacturers to deploy a OTA update. The headline is certainly living up to the name of this sub-forum.

[QUOTE=AJ10017;46917639]honestly if your device isnt running 4.4 or higher you need to install a rom that does[/QUOTE] Haha, nah. About two thirds of android devices are running 4.3 or less. The bug affects 4.0-4.3, which is over half of all android users. Really hard to give Google the benefit of the doubt when Google shouldn't be throwing the majority of their userbase under the bus. Not everyone is tech savvy enough to do this, some people never want to do major updates like this. 4.3 is only a year and a half old, and Google is already pulling the plug on it. [editline]13th January 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=Siemz;46919016]Well to be fair; android Kit Kat (4.4) came out in End 2013, I believe Meaning it's gonna be two year old these years, and since most people are on contracts (Most of us on 2 year contracts), It's okay. Cause actually, who takes advantage of this? Barley anyone. The only "viruses" on android are androrat (which is outdated as fuck so not even working), and basic key-loggers that don't even pass get into the playstore or anything.. However; the article is made for 90% of bullshit and fake shit, dont get so mad over a shitty written article that is mostly over-exaggerating (title for example) to get people to read it[/QUOTE] Yeah It's going to be 2 at the end of this year, but it's only the beginning of this year. 4.4 is 15 months old.

[QUOTE=agentfazexx;46924357]Because it's 2015. If you want a dumb phone get a Blackberry[/QUOTE] Blackberries are smartphones, Einstein.

[QUOTE=Joeyl10;46918862]even if google still kept supporting 4.3 and prior whatever carrier you guys are on wouldn't give enough of a shit to update your specific variant of android anyways. moral of the story: flash cyanogenmod onto your phone.[/QUOTE] can void your warranty depending on the oem and country though

[QUOTE=wraithcat;46929327]can void your warranty depending on the oem and country though[/QUOTE] Just fine for [URL="https://fsfe.org/freesoftware/legal/flashingdevices.en.html"]Europeans[/URL] though regarding the 2 year warranty. Also, companies usually won't bother to check, since the cost of that inspecting isn't worth it for them -- and the consumer would deny it anyways, which is just a bigger hassle for the company instead of just cashing in the insurance and cutting their losses.

[QUOTE=Siemz;46919169]Can you stop shit posting in this thread No they cannot Do you honestly think Google will(/wants to) update every phone's firmware, drivers, and roll out updates world wide and have a shitload of users complaining? (Not even to mention phone providers that have to roll out custom modified firmware) They can fucking not. They don't even have permission to. The brand that makes the phone can roll out updates; Google cannot suddenly overrule that,[B] and they do not want that. [/B] Sundar Pichai [I]Head of android[/I] has even said that android is being used as it should; getting modified, using the "open-source" part of it. "Android" will not, cannot force "shit like that" . Oh and for the record: It's not their models,[I] it's not their phones[/I]. The company that manufactures them gets to decide what is on them. Examples such as skins the "Touchwiz", "Sense" or LG launchers... Not even to mention: Motorola, owned by google released the Moto G with a custom version of android also. Do you honestly think Google would've kept android open-source if they wanted it all to run vanilla/OEM? That is an idiotic idea, and not what android is aiming for. It's not Apple, Android is a system, not a brand.[/QUOTE] Android is not 100% fair game for OEM's. Even tho the OS is open and technically, the OEM could do modify and change anything, they are bound by a few rules, which has them by the balls. Google employs a certification program for OEM's called MADA (MOBILE APPLICATION DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT) which requires the OEM to follow certain conditions and rules to be allowed to be able to ship the device with the Google Play Store and all other google apps. AFAIK some of those contracts involve stuff like Software update response times, requirement to patch Devices that have known security flaws within a certain time, user experience and other related aspects. So this gives the OEM 2 options: 1. Play Google's little game and allow it's userbase access to the Play Store and other google apps 2. Be able to change anything about android, but your device will not be allowed to have any Google apps on it. Sources: [url]http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/containers/fix380/1495569/000119312510271362/dex1012.htm[/url] [url]http://www.benedelman.org/news/021314-1.html[/url] [url]http://www.benedelman.org/docs/samsung-mada.pdf[/url]