How long can I keep using an older Android device?

[Android Central Question]

I am a reasonably techy person.

Ideally I would like to find an Android tablet expert, to answer questions about older Android versions for tablets, how long they are viable, etc.

I have a Samsung Galaxy View 18 inch tablet that is the most useful device I have ever owned, but it has 5.1.1, which is extremely old, and vulnerable, and the tablet is running less and less well (eg Chrome and Gmail are increasingly slow. Yes a factory reset will probably help speed, but not vulnerability, or compatibility with newer apps.) But it is awesome and there is no way I want to chuck it and buy a replacement. I use it for 80% of my work every day, with the obvious major exception being for extensive typed input (I try to use voice entry more and more). Its not like a phone, which I replace every 24 months.

Even while having a Samsung Tab E and a Galaxy S20, this device remains far too useful and productive to give up on. I do almost everything and anything on it.

I just need a referral to someone or a site or forum who might know someone who might know an expert on updating Android and when it is no longer possible to do so. I don't need an Android developer, per se. I need a user and updating expert. An android tablet geek. I am doing google searches to find such a forum or expert. Any referral to where I should be asking this question will be much appreciated.

Any referral or tips re where I should be asking this question will be much appreciated.

 

[ashune]

Your best bet is the XDA Developers Forums. Here's a link to their forum for the Samsung Galaxy View: https://forum.xda-developers.com/c/samsung-galaxy-view.4883/

Generally, I'd say a tablet is usable until it uses an Android version that app developers stop supporting with app updates, if we ignore the lack of system security updates. Another useful reference for this is this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history#Overview

 

[mustang7757]

Even if you could find a Rom with different andriod version the Devs probably lost interest to support it.


I wouldn't trust it for important data or work information on it , banks app and such, doing gaming, surfing the web stuff like that stick to .


I'll leave a Link to register so you can communicate here as a guest account you can only post questions but can't reply

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=409154

 

[Richard Roy1]

Mr Master refers me to a Dev forum. I did say I dont need a dev expert. Mustang7757, your response is helpful. Not sure how vulnerable I am if I am using an Outlook app to access business email, but I dont do that much, and I can refrain from the more risky uses, as you suggest. I am not a gamer. I don one hell of a lot of reading, internet research, accessing sites and reading research papers on it. Not sure how vulnerable I am using all things Google on this device. I don't know enough about vulnerabilities that are caused by an old, unsupported OS when everything Google is so cloud-based.
I guess I should have asked directly if there is any chance of getting a newer, still-supported version of android on this device. I kind of doubt it is possible, but worth asking the question. Maybe I will have to replace it and use it only for the simple stuff you mentioned, and maybe as a handy display for screen mirroring.

 

[mustang7757]

Mr Master refers me to a Dev forum. I did say I dont need a dev expert. Mustang7757, your response is helpful. Not sure how vulnerable I am if I am using an Outlook app to access business email, but I dont do that much, and I can refrain from the more risky uses, as you suggest. I am not a gamer. I don one hell of a lot of reading, internet research, accessing sites and reading research papers on it. Not sure how vulnerable I am using all things Google on this device. I don't know enough about vulnerabilities that are caused by an old, unsupported OS when everything Google is so cloud-based.
I guess I should have asked directly if there is any chance of getting a newer, still-supported version of android on this device. I kind of doubt it is possible, but worth asking the question. Maybe I will have to replace it and use it only for the simple stuff you mentioned, and maybe as a handy display for screen mirroring.

Hi Richard, welcome to AC!
I think if your careful, you can get by like how we talked about, a Team Member @B. Diddy and good guy put together a very helpful guide to follow and some things could use since you won't have the security patches like current devices, ill leave a Link for you to look over .

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=1015048

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Realistically you can use it for as long as it's able to do what you need it to. I don't trust banking or sensitive information on anything that doesn't have up to date security patches but otherwise apps and web browsing are usually fine. I still use my Note 3 stuck on Android 5 to cast videos to a TV and my even older Note 10 tablet on 4.4 as an alarm clock still and rare occasion doodle on it.

 

[belodion]

Mr Master refers me to a Dev forum. I did say I dont need a dev expert.

There are some very clever people on XDA, with a broad range of technical knowledge and understanding, so it’s sound advice.