In the United States, the ACLU, the four largest mobile operators accused of conducting ‘deceptive business practices’. Due to the slow updates for Android phones would be a lot of devices are vulnerable to long-known security vulnerabilities.
The update process for Android smartphones is often slower than, for example, at competitor Apple. That is because the updates for the operating system that Google makes available, by phone manufacturers need to be adjusted to work on the smartphones. Per phone system updates, then re-approved by the Bluetooth SIG, the Wi-Fi Alliance and the providers.
Then have the roms, if the phone manufacturer they are made available by the providers to be modified to work on the ‘branded’ devices. Additionally, manufacturers often phones exclusively for American providers: due to the low number of customers with that phone, the manufacturer is not a priority on the make of the update. The provider does again longer to approve updates, because new models take precedence. Only Nexus devices receive updates directly from Google, so that less time is required. Apple controls the approval of updates for iPhones are always in advance, making updates fast worldwide can be released.
The ACLU wants the FTC, the providers enforces to owners of Android smartphones on known security vulnerabilities to inform. In addition, customers must be informed about the steps that they can convert their phone to protect. Customers who want a smartphone with unsafe Android distribution, for which no regular security updates, should their subscription before the end of the period of the contract should terminate. Customers with phones less than two years old, that no regular updates are offered, should have their phone to be able to exchange it for a unit that regularly receive updates, or the full purchase price reimbursed.
The concerns about the security of Android hang together with the large amount of malware for the operating system. In 2012 detected security firm NQ Mobile, for example, an increase of 163 percent in regards to mobile malware. Of the 65.227 detected malwaresoorten, is 95 percent on Android focused. Also in the Netherlands this problem, although on a smaller scale. That is because here, much less branded Android smartphones are sold than in the United States.
Statistics from Google show that more than 45 percent of Android devices still have version 2.3 ‘Gingerbread’ or lower runs. Android Jelly Bean runs on 25 percent of the devices; only 2 percent of all Android devices running Android 4.2, the latest version of Jelly Bean.