Do you have to update your smartphone every time you order it?

Should you update your smartphone every time a new version of its software is available? We are regularly prompted with these messages telling us that the update is ready to be installed. There is often talk of “security patch” and “vulnerability patch”. But some rumors also say that it can slow down older phones to pressure you into buying newer phones. We’ll see in this new episode of The numerical golden rule What is this.

The first thing to know is that Updates are essential to the good health of your phone. Like your computer, they help protect it from threats, such as viruses and hackers. They act like a booster vaccine. Brands add the latest remedies for viruses and known vulnerabilities to prevent hackers from taking advantage of them to infiltrate your phone and steal your personal data. This is why all experts recommend that he update his phone when it is required.

So the first golden rule isPay particular attention to so-called security updates. These are the ones that will protect your device from threats. With the increase in cyber attacks, these updates are becoming more frequent. They can occur every month, or even more often, if the need arises. This is why your phone gives you updates regularly.

What about major updates: iOS 16 and Android 13?

Updates can also be used to provide additional functionality. This is the case with the major update to the iPhone’s operating system, iOS, every fall, for example. Competing smartphones, for their part, receive the big Android update every year. These are often heavier. It takes up more storage space on your device and takes longer to install because it includes a large number of new software features: new design, additional functions, new apps and improvements…

in one way, These seasonal upgrades are less important than security updates. It’s up to you to decide if you really need it when you post it. But you cannot refuse it indefinitely. After a while, brands consider it the basic foundation for the proper functioning of their devices and that it is essential to install it to take advantage of the modern software experience. After a few years, this may force you to install it to continue using your smartphone, or even to buy a new one, if your device has become too old to operate.

Can updates slow down my phone?

In addition to security issues, updates help improve performance. because Brands regularly provide improvements to their operating system. Can these updates slow down your device? This may have happened in the past, when installing an update that was too heavy, with many new features for example, on a smartphone too old to boot. but Today’s manufacturers are very careful not to offer these critical updates to very old models. The software is generally designed to be able to work on models that are 3-4 years old, on Android, and up to 5 years old on Apple.

You may have heard about it: Apple has been accused in the past of slowing down its iPhones with an update that deliberately hindered the performance of its older devices. The idea behind this practice was to make it last longer by making sure it doesn’t put too much strain on the phone’s resources, especially the battery. The problem is, the brand didn’t immediately notify its customers. It has since apologized and changed its system, so that a choice can be made between that system and the normal operation of the device. And today, Apple’s updates allow older iPhones to run longer than the competition.

Conclusion

You would understand that. Installing updates is necessary on his smartphone. This allows you to take advantage of the best performance and above all to protect yourself from threats that change every day.

To install an update on your smartphone, you need to go to the settings, and then to the “Software Update” tab. It is recommended to backup your data before, in case something goes wrong with the installation. Copy your important photos and documents to another device for recovery just in case.

If there are no updates available, either you are out of date or your device is too old to receive them. Brands usually keep it for 3-5 years on Android and up to 8-10 years on Apple. Moreover, continuing to use a device that has not been updated on the Internet is a real risk for your personal data.

The “Digital Golden Rule” every week in the podcast

Each week find the (incomparable) “Golden Rule” in the podcast…and now its digital counterpart…dedicated to the problems of everyday life on the Internet. How to surf the Internet safely? What settings to configure to protect your personal data? How to spot online scams before you fall into the trap… Benjamin Hugh, journalist at RTL, here answers the questions you ask yourself every day about new technologies.

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