Tablet YouTube app install new version loop

[Android Central Question]

I have an old SGH-I95R7 tablet, android version 4.0.4, that, as of Tuesday (1/15/2019) gives me this message: "A new version of YouTube is available. Install it now from Google Play".

When I tap the "install now" button it brings me to the Play Store YouTube page. I have the options Uninstall and Open. When I tap "open" it brings me right back to the app with the same message saying there is a new version.

I have cleared both the Play Store and YouTube caches and cleared data, uninstalled updates to both apps, restarted my tablet multiple times, checked if there was a software update (none).

My wifi connection is fine, other apps such as Netflix are working and YouTube is working on my android phone. I've had this tablet for years and use it just to watch YouTube or Netflix and fall asleep in bed too.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! It's probably because Google officially ended support for ICS: https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/7/...support-ending-android-4-0-ice-cream-sandwich. It's time to get a new device!

 

[djchriskennedy]

i use my tablet for the same thing. just to fall asleep and watch videos. its really a waste of money to get a new device. youtube just screwed a bunch of people over. so far my quick fix is to use the dolphin browser and go to the youtube website. its slower and more clunky but it works. i really want an actual solution to fix the youtube app

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Google doesn't update APIs just for the heck of it -- there are plenty of performance and security improvements with each version. At some point, they can't keep supporting ancient APIs, which is why support for much older versions of Android has to be dropped as well.

There are also security concerns about using a very old and obsolete device that connects to the web, since there are probably numerous security flaws that were never patched. It's like still using Windows XP these days, which is rife with unpatched security flaws ever since Microsoft stopped supporting it.