I have an old Samsung Galaxy I've been using for the past 4+ years. I'm perfectly happy with the device in terms of the hardware/performance and the battery life is still great. However I've noticed that it's no longer on the most recent version of Android and hasn't received Android security updates in over a year.
So it started me wondering at what point does an old smartphone become unsafe to use? Should I replace a perfectly good phone just because it no longer receives updates? Are there any alternative options to update the phone (custom ROMs)? Though that in itself is perhaps a security risk and more effort than simply buying new handset.
Or is it broadly safe to carry on using an old phone for a year or two so long as you don't log into unknown networks and keep the apps on the phone updated?
Would be keen to hear folks thoughts on the topic?
So it started me wondering at what point does an old smartphone become unsafe to use? Should I replace a perfectly good phone just because it no longer receives updates? Are there any alternative options to update the phone (custom ROMs)? Though that in itself is perhaps a security risk and more effort than simply buying new handset.
Or is it broadly safe to carry on using an old phone for a year or two so long as you don't log into unknown networks and keep the apps on the phone updated?
Would be keen to hear folks thoughts on the topic?