If you have a recent Samsung smartphone, there is a chance that it has now been completely abandoned by the manufacturer.
It was in April. Samsung has dethroned Apple as the world’s largest smartphone seller. The Korean giant shipped 60.1 million units across the planet, compared to 10 million fewer for its Californian rival. Samsung’s market share increased to 20.8%, compared to 17.3% for the Apple brand. It must be said that the Asian firm is used to releasing new devices quite regularly. Thus, it is estimated that Samsung offers nearly ten smartphones each year at various prices.
This is why older Samsung phones are often abandoned by the manufacturer. This is not, however, a habit specific to Samsung since each manufacturer ends up abandoning its oldest smartphones after a few years. So the least supported phones can become obsolete after just two years while the top performers, like Google, support their devices for more than seven years.
When a phone is no longer updated by its manufacturer, it is common to say that the latter is then obsolete. A somewhat categorical or even exaggerated term since, in fact, it is always possible to use the device without realizing any possible changes.
However, the differences between a phone still supported by its manufacturer and an obsolete phone are significant. In fact, a smartphone that no longer has updates stops receiving new features which can be very interesting for users. But the biggest threat of an outdated smartphone lies above all in the security of your data.
It is indeed quite common for security vulnerabilities to be discovered within a smartphone. These are corrected via device updates to prevent users from being affected by any viruses or unwanted software. But when a smartphone no longer has security updates from the manufacturer, it is no longer possible to receive new protections against these flaws. Which then leaves the phone prey to hackers.
Recently, Samsung announced the end of support for one of its longest-selling models. This is the Samsung Galaxy A51 released in 2020 which sold more than 6 million units in 2020. This is why it is strongly recommended, if you still have this phone, to change the model for a more recent device or to be very careful when browsing the web.
Without a security update, the Galaxy A51 could quickly become, in a year, a month or perhaps a week, an open door to hacking. All you need to do is click on a questionable link or receive malware on your outdated smartphone for it to become infected. The consequences can then be multiple: hackers can spy on your browsing, steal some of your personal data, listen via the phone’s speaker, etc.