By Kezia Jungco
Publication Date: 2026-02-09 19:37:00
If you’re using an older Android phone, Google has a message you probably don’t want to hear.
More than 40% of Android devices worldwide no longer receive critical security updates, leaving over 1 billion phones exposed to malware and spyware attacks, according to the company.
The problem isn’t a sudden flaw but a slow drift. Android adoption data shows most users are still running software versions that Google no longer fully supports. While recent confusion around Google Play system update dates has raised concerns, Google says that the issue is cosmetic.
The real issue is simpler and more serious: phones running Android 12 or older are now outside the security safety net.
Android version lag leaves millions exposed
Google’s latest Android distribution data shows that only about 58% of devices run Android 13 or newer, Forbes reported. As of December 2025, Android 16 was installed on…
