Well, I learned something interesting yesterday and the ramifications are just starting to hit home. When Android devices update to the latest version of Android, that doesn’t mean what many of us might think. I have a tablet on Android Version 6.01 that reports being completely up to date; its security update is identified as being a 2017 version along with a number of other modules dating back 3-4 years all reported as completely up to date. How can this be?
It turns out that Android only updates within its major version, so 6.01 is the current (and no longer supported) version for Android 6. Android 7 is a completely different product and must be installed (a surprisingly arcane and complicated install) by the user. A quick search on the internet reveals that Android 10 is available though many sources are reporting that Android 8 is the stable and current version for most devices. A quick visit to the manufacturer’s website reveals that Android 6 is the most recent version of Android that they support on my device.
Imagine if your computer had Windows Vista on it and would not load some applications unless you update to Windows 10, but your system won’t pass the compatibility test for Windows 10. Oh yes, this is also a very real problem and one I encounter regularly. The result is that a perfectly functional device with no reason to replace except that new programs won’t run it. My tablet ran afoul of this problem over the yahoo mail app. Nothing changed on my end, the folks at Yahoo produced a new app and set their servers to require the new app and the app won’t install on Android 6.
So, sometime tomorrow I will be learning if I can install Android 8 on my 2-year old tablet or if it will turn that tablet into a decoration, after I backup all the data on it, make enough free space to perform the new OS install. If it works, great and I will have learned another valuable skill. If not, well I will have another piece of technology that is good for nothing beyond cluttering up may desk.
This all reminds me that there really is a reason for fearing change. I was reading about Author George R R Martin yesterday and how he still uses a DOS machine with Wordstar 4 to write his books; I guess he really has resisted change with success. If well cared for, properly maintained (replacing parts that are prone to wearing out) hi tech devices really can be used for a very long time; but beware of products that require regular updates, they will force you into upgrading your entire world of electronics.