We regularly need to buy a new smartphone. Not only because it might not work anymore, but also because some apps are no longer supported. That’s going to change in Android 14.
Doing much longer with a smartphone sounds like music to the ears of many users. Most phones cost a hefty chunk of money, so it’s an expense we don’t do too often. Still, most people replace their Android device or iPhone once every two or three years. They don’t necessarily have to.
No more need for a new phone with Android 14
Android 14 is getting an interesting feature, according to the usually well-informed Mishaal Rahman. It should prevent older phones from no longer connecting to the Internet. OK, of course that requires a little deeper explanation.
Android phones have certain certificates. These allow you to connect to the Internet. These certificates expire regularly, which can also cause you to lose access to the Internet. Updates from the manufacturer renew them.
If the maker doesn’t update the phone anymore, new certificates don’t come and so you lose the Internet on your device. And so all your apps no longer work either. Actually, you can then just throw away your Android device.
This is how Google goes about it
Android 14 is going to prevent that. To renew certificates, you no longer need the manufacturer’s updates. Google is going to do this itself through the Play Store in the future.
That means you can use your phone much longer. That’s especially good news for users of cheaper models. Those don’t get updated as often. So that way you can still get on with your budget Android.
Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t apply to all apps. Sometimes creators themselves can choose to pull the plug from an older version. One example is WhatsApp. For example, as of Jan. 1, 2023, the service no longer supports certain devices. You can read more about it here.
