In general these days, most brands guarantee about 2 years' worth of Android updates and security patches, while a few promise up to 7 years. While we would always recommend getting a device with a newer Android version (it's easier to manage), sometimes your older device will still work fine.
Or maybe you're just feeling a bit reluctant to part with it and move to a newer device? Regardless of the reason, this time around, we're answering the question "Can you still use a phone or device with an older Android version?" Read on to find out.
Yes… but only under certain conditions
By now, we all know that an older Android device is not as safe to use as a newer one. This is because there are no more security patches and hackers or viruses already know how to get past your older Android's defenses. However, this isn't as bad of an issue if you don't use your older Android to do monetary transactions (banking) or you don't use it online, as this is usually the way that hackers and viruses can get to your data.
So, you could use your older device to play offline games or read ebooks and comics that you transfer to the device. Or maybe you could use it to just create content. However, with practically every movie, music, social media and entertainment being streamed and shared online now, this can in effect severely cripple the functionality of your older Android device. Even more so if you rely on your device to do banking through QR codes and wireless transactions, which requires an online connection.
While we wouldn't recommend you use your older device for such things, it is still relatively safe if your Android version is only 1 or 2 years older than the current version, which is Android 14. It is also okay if you only surf 'good' sites, 'known' brands and the like. But you might be in trouble if you tend to go to sites that have shady get-rich-quick deals or you like to click on ads, emails or messages with suspicious links. Going to these 'dark' sites could expose you to more risk from malware, viruses and hackers, which is even more dangerous if your Android is older.
No… the older it is, the more insecure and unstable it can be
Sure, with proper care, your older Android device could potentially last a lot longer than just 2 years. However, the older the version, the more unstable it becomes. This means that it can't install the latest apps. And even if it can, once you use it, it could hang or freeze for no apparent reason. Would you feel satisfied watching NetFlix or YouTube on a device that keeps hanging every 10 or so minutes? Wouldn't you scream with frustration if your navigation app suddenly glitched in the middle of driving?
Often, this applies to devices with Android 10 and below, so if you're looking to buy an Android device and it's super cheap for some reason, it's probably because it's running an older version (we've seen some devices with just Android 4.4!). While you can still use much older devices like that, you probably shouldn't as you'll encounter the problems above even more (if you're buying for your child, don't... you might not even be able stream anything, or if it does it may suddenly freeze or hang). If you need to know how to properly get rid of an older device like this, you can also refer to our guide on how to properly dispose of e-waste.
What do you think? Do you have an older Android device? What is your reason for continuing to use it? Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com.
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