In the beginning, we bought a gadget. We will continue to receive software updates from the manufacturer that fix bugs and protect us from vulnerabilities over the next few years. Eventually, we will no longer receive these updates. According to conventional wisdom, you should buy a new device at that time. Let’s learn How to increase the life of your devices and survive tech obsolescence.
How would you feel if it wasn’t?
Upgrades don’t need to be automatic all the time. By following some best security practices and taking charge of our technology, we can often delay them. Even though it is unrealistic to expect everyone to upgrade on a tech company’s schedule, some smartphones, like the expensive Android, cease receiving software updates after two years. Buying new products often isn’t possible for all of us because we’re busy or have a limited budget.
Meanwhile, we don’t want to keep our gadgets too long to end up vulnerable to bugs, cyberattacks, and other problems. To deal with these issues, we usually need to update our software. It is essential that everyone uses technology safely to live and work, said Hilary Shoshone, the executive director of Free Geek. This organization repurposes obsolete machines for seniors and schools.
More info – How to customize your iPhone’s app icons
Where do we draw the line?
Even when manufacturers stop providing software updates, there are some ways to keep your devices running reliably, even if a new gadget is eventually bought. Read on to learn more.
Observe best practices in security
Nowadays, we use technology in a variety of ways. The web browser is our primary tool for doing a lot of what we do with computers, from submitting homework to editing spreadsheets. We also use apps for most of what we do on our phones.
Keep your browser up to date.
Staying on top of browser updates will offer some protection from malicious websites. Trustworthy browser companies like Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, update their apps to work on more than 10 years old computers.
As always, avoid suspicious behavior.
Don’t open messages or click on links from unknown senders. If possible, use only apps offered by trusted brands, said Sinan Eren, an executive at Barracuda Networks, a security firm.
Avoid apps with bad reputations.
It is possible to configure Android devices to install apps from unauthorized app stores, making them more susceptible to malware than Apple devices. Some Android manufacturers discontinue support for their devices after just two years. We did not hear back from Google. Malwarebytes, Norton Lifelock, and Lookout are some of the brand names that offer malware-scanning apps for older Android devices.
Keep your online accounts secure.
Having your online accounts set up with two-factor authentication – a security practice that creates a unique code by generating an app or text message when you log in to a website – can help prevent your password from being compromised if your device’s software is outdated.
If all of these actions are taken, the risk of failure will be reduced but not eliminated. Internet security expert Dan Guido says outdated devices are vulnerable to attacks because old software has known vulnerabilities.
