Ahh, now I understand, you're one of those. I build the software that runs these things. (Nowadays I work on VR instead of phones, but it's the same Android base.) There absolutely are lots of ways for an attacker, including the US Govt, to try to compromise your phone. However there are a lot more ways (like a LOT LOT more ways) if your phone is not running the latest software. We don't just push updates for "newer better features" - we also push updates for fixes. Most of those fixes are fixes for ways in which someone could break into your phone. Not only are we paid to fix those ways someone could break into your phone as fast as we can, we're both contractually and legally required to fix those ways someone could break into your phone as fast as we can. ROMs you find on Google are created by people who are neither paid to fix those things, nor required to fix those things. LineageOS (formerly CyanogenMod), the only remaining community-supported ROM of any notability, is largely a support-new-experimental-software-on-old-hardware platform nowadays. Most of the developer talent that used to get paid to work on it got gutted and fired when the company that was formed around it, Cyanogen, caught fire and imploded. I would know; I was one of the employees. We don't give the US govt any more access to your device than the Libyan govt, your neighbor, or your dog. We design it so that even if they did ask us for access to it, we wouldn't be able to give it to them. It's not a case of "your keys are yours once the device enters your hands" - it's a case of "your keys don't even exist until the device enters your hands". We never had them to begin with. So, tl/dr: Just update your goddamn phone. Especially if you're worried about security.
NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Just let me disable the freqking update without having to root the fuking thing! Seriously, I dont give a hoot about security. If someone grabs my phone, I buy another cheap one. Its just a phone and text and web browser to me. Its not my hobby or source of bragging rights or anything. I need to babysit a work PC that forces updates all the time. I hav to 2 factor login countless times a day at work. Im sick of babysitting soul sucking tech shit! I get more annoyed with every update because it just turns on all the shit Ive disabled and they seem to change the menus of where to do shit with each update. Not worth it to me. Yeah im the grumpy old man who doesnt want his shit changing all the time. More often than not, for the worse.
I could be wrong but I don't think that the security updates he's talking about are the kind that would electrically shock someone trying to grab your phone off a table.
You've already spent 10x more time griping about it than it takes to do the update. It might take 2 minutes to update your phone. If you do not update, it will take some Russian 20 seconds to hack your phone.
One huge factor that differentiates iPhones and droid phones that helps with the cost of the iPhone: As long as you keep your iphone in good condition, you can sell it for $400-$600 after 2 years of use. Generally, you throw droid phones in the garbage.
I've sold every Android phone I ever had after 2-3 years of use and always got good money for them, enough to seriously offset the purchase of a new one.
How can you sell them for good money if the manuf's keep slashing the prices as time goes on? You can buy a Google Pixel for like 50% off after a year or so.
My androids are like my racebike. Totally disposable! Ive finally started paying $200 for em. Mostly because nobody sells the smaller lower spec ones anymore.
Do you do yoga? If not, start stretching your neck muscles, so when I open the door, you don't fall over backwards trying to uppercut me.
what you should actually look into is Nova Launcher. I bought it many years ago, and I install it on every phone. I keep a backup of my settings in my Google Drive, and then when I get a new Android Phone everything is still the same in terms of look and feel.
Feel free to use this "logic" to justify your purchases, but don't expect to fool us. I paid under $300 for a new Motorola and it's going strong 5 years and counting. It's a fucking phone, not a Rolex.
No reason to be a transphobe!!! Im past the point of getting loans I hope. But I dont see the connection between my credit report and my phone. Please enlighten me!
