Over a billion Android phones are at risk as Google sounds a security alarm | Technology News
3 min readNew DelhiFeb 10, 2026 11:47 AM IST
If you are still using an older Android phone, you may be more vulnerable than you realise. Google has now confirmed that over 40 per cent, more than one billion phones, of all Android devices worldwide are no longer protected by security updates and are therefore vulnerable to malware and spyware attacks.
It applies to phones running Android 12 or earlier that are no longer receiving critical security patches. Without these updates, even the most careful users face growing risks as cyber threats become more complex.
Most Android phones are still on older software
Recent Android distribution figures highlight the scale of the problem, according to Google. Only 57.9 per cent of Android phones are running Android 13 or newer. As of December, the latest version, Android 16, was installed on just 7.5 per cent of devices.
Android 15 accounted for 19.3 per cent, Android 14 for 17.2 per cent, and Android 13 for 13.9 per cent of phones in use. That means a large portion of active Android users are already falling behind on security.
Phones introduced before 2021 are largely affected, since many cannot be upgraded beyond Android 12.
Why are older services more dangerous?
Even as Google Play Protect continues to scan apps on Android 7 and above devices for potential threats, this is still not enough. This is because, without adequate security updates for these devices, sophisticated threats will still not be averted.
Google advises users to upgrade to a phone running Android 13 or later. Often, a mid-tier new phone can offer better security than an older flagship phone running a previous operating system.
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Cuts in support from manufacturers are also contributing to the risk. According to Forbes, Samsung has “confirmed that the Galaxy S21 series, S21+, and S21 Ultra phones no longer get any software and security updates.”
At the same time, the Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy S21 FE are now on a quarterly patch schedule, making users more vulnerable because of the longer intervals between patches.
Unlike Apple, which controls both hardware and software updates, Android updates depend on manufacturers. Many devices are dropped after a few years, even though they are still in daily use.
How to check if your phone is at risk
To see whether your phone is affected:
1. Open Settings
2. Go to About phone
3. Check your Android version
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If your device is running Android 12 or older and cannot be upgraded, security experts recommend replacing it.
Unsupported Android phones can be exploited to steal passwords, intercept messages, access banking apps, and drain accounts. With more than a billion devices now exposed, Google is urging users to act quickly to protect their personal data before it’s too late.
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