Google will require that phone makers roll out monthly security updates

10 May 2018
The announcement was made during Google’s Android Security discussion at Google I/O.

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  • Matthayichen
  • PB7
  • 17 May 2018

You see?, 15 May 2018Exactly! Their most selling best latest flagship phone and... moreSpeaking of Chinese phones, Xiaomi phones are regularly supported for years and years after release. They may not update the core OS much, but the custom UI is kept up to date for 3-4 years.

I have a Xiaomi Mi A1, it's an Android One phone so it's been getting patches every month and core OS updates with a few months lag.

    • Y
    • You see?
    • S0D
    • 15 May 2018

    AnonD-512433, 14 May 2018As my galaxy s9 still rocks the february updateExactly!
    Their most selling best latest flagship phone and already 3 months behind on security!
    I hope you've learned your lesson and will never buy any Samsung again!

    There are only a few companies that release at least some updates timely, all the others (like Samsung, HTC, LG and all the Chinese crap) are basically abandoning their devices the minute they release them!
    So, if you want timely updates for at least 2 years buy a Pixel. or Sony for a little slower updates. Motorola was good when it was under Google, now it turned to be same Chinese crap as all the others.

      • D
      • AnonD-512433
      • Ybt
      • 14 May 2018

      As my galaxy s9 still rocks the february update

        Audacious, 11 May 2018What are you talking about? How is it going to cost them an... moreIf it's cost nothing why oem didn't provide security updates or os updates in the first place?

          • L
          • Luxor
          • tue
          • 13 May 2018

          Geric.770, 11 May 2018"Samsung and LG" These two companies are the slowest in up... moreThose two company are also hardware company. Originally manufacturing home appliances. I dont expect them to be good at software one bit.

            • G
            • Gee
            • nFH
            • 12 May 2018

            Fragmented Junk

              ralph6565, 11 May 2018Well, owning a HTC U11, please add HTC, as I have the feeli... moreOh. That's bad. It's my first time to hear HTC has the same habit too!

                Geric.770, 11 May 2018"Samsung and LG" These two companies are the slowest in up... moreWell, owning a HTC U11, please add HTC, as I have the feeling there are even worse than Samsung or LG. Most Samsung Flagship owners i know have a much more recent security patch than the HTC flagship as the last update was in December, 6 months after release and only 4 months after purchase when it became available. And even then, i only got one after 2 months being 1 month behind and i cannot even trust the quality of that update. When i received the Oreo OTA, the security patch was 2 months old. This is so embarrassing ... The phone is superb but that kind of customer service makes the HTC U11 the first and last HTC device. So sad.

                  JohnW1981, 11 May 2018I hope HTC are listening in Europe Indeed. If i would have known, that the support regarding security updates for a flagship like the HTC U11 is dropped after not even half a year following release, i would never have purchased one. All U11 users are stuck on December 2017 or November 2017. Simply miserable. An that's regarding a phone that is supposed to support project treble. Now I will be forced to replace it for security reasons. The phone is a flagship and not even a year old. . So those interested in the U12, you herewith have been warned!

                    I hope HTC are listening in Europe

                      Someone needs to tell Samsung. They've just announced That their mid-rangers will only get quarterly updates.

                        Randomly, my Y7 Prime (2017) just received a security update for April 2018. I was confused because I thought Huawei was only focusing on flagships on updates!
                        They also replied my feedback about getting Oreo, and my phone is also eligible on the major update!
                        (Y7 Prime 2017 is a low end smartphone made by Huawei BTW)

                          .alpha, 11 May 2018How long will it take before Android finally have iOS's 0-d... moreThey will be able to do it if they have the full control to each and every single Android phone in the world today.
                          Yes, including the replicas running Android.

                          Apple can update their phones very quickly because there aren't that many iPhones around, and they have the full control of every iPhones in the world in terms of software.

                            • .
                            • .alpha
                            • ytx
                            • 11 May 2018

                            How long will it take before Android finally have iOS's 0-day update ability? Monthly update doesn't help any against 0-day threats

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • mE0
                              • 11 May 2018

                              I have a HTC and my security patch is on December 2017

                                "There aren’t many more details about these new security patch requirements like: How often will updates be required?"

                                If you don't know how often these updates will be required, isn't the title wrong in saying they'll require monthly security updates? You don't know it, so there's no need to put possible fake news in the title of an article. (Key word is 'possible'.)

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                                  • Freefaller
                                  • n5p
                                  • 11 May 2018

                                  I have a Honor 8 PRO with a security level dated 5th July 2017 with no sign of any update. What a waste of money THAT was! I'll never buy another one of their products ever again.

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-558092
                                    • r7b
                                    • 11 May 2018

                                    Alien , 11 May 2018I highly doubt Samsung will be on the list. They are the wo... moreWhat are you talking about. They give monthly updates for 3 years at least. The Note4 got the April 2018 patch!

                                      if that came to be true, then we may say that LG and Samsung will change from Android to something suites their strategical planning (forcing you to buy a new phone each year only for security reasons), and that could crush and at least would raise the costs of the Chinese smartphones which sells only globally (Umidigi, Ulefone, Elephone...)

                                        YoloBS, 11 May 2018I don't think small android oem have that kinda resource to... moreWhat are you talking about? How is it going to cost them anything? WTF?