Billion Android Phones Exposed: Google Warns of Hack Risks on Older Devices

• Over a billion Android phones running Android 12 or older are no longer receiving security patches, leaving them vulnerable to hack attacks and malware.
• Approximately 42.1% of Android devices are exposed due to outdated software, primarily phones released in 2021 or earlier.
• Android's fragmentation problem means phone makers control updates, often abandoning devices after a few years, unlike Apple's consistent updates.
• Google advises users with phones stuck on Android 12 or older to upgrade to a newer device that supports Android 13 or later for continued security updates.
• While Google Play Protect offers malware scanning, it cannot replace critical system-level security patches, making unsupported devices a significant risk for data and financial theft.