Is this another reason to avoid Android?

[UKapple]

Been sitting on the fence for a while now as to whether or not to make the jump to android and specifically the samsung s5. Chances are I will see what apple turnout with the iphone 6 as it fairly close now but the one thing that seems to be a regular occurrence with android is frequent gaps in their software allowing malware etc.

Below is another issue that's been reported in the news today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28544443

 

[Lloydbm41]

Been sitting on the fence for a while now as to whether or not to make the jump to android and specifically the samsung s5. Chances are I will see what apple turnout with the iphone 6 as it fairly close now but the one thing that seems to be a regular occurrence with android is frequent gaps in their software allowing malware etc.

Below is another issue that's been reported in the news today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28544443

Already was patched by Google. Only reason this got any sort of press is because of the Black Hat expo coming up.

Same thing happened to Apple and iOS a few months back. See here: http://news.yahoo.com/huge-ios-7-security-flaw-exposed-154634994.html

And this major SSL issue the month before: http://gizmodo.com/why-apples-huge-security-flaw-is-so-scary-1529041062

Basically, it is time for hackers and security firms to get their names up in lights.

 

[Oohara]

Been sitting on the fence for a while now as to whether or not to make the jump to android and specifically the samsung s5. Chances are I will see what apple turnout with the iphone 6 as it fairly close now but the one thing that seems to be a regular occurrence with android is frequent gaps in their software allowing malware etc.

Below is another issue that's been reported in the news today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28544443

These things always get big headlines but seldom seem to have any real world impact. And as Lloydbm41 points out, iOS isn't without its share of security flaws either. Actually I've heard of more cases where iPhone users actually have any trouble because of security issues, like that recent iPhone hijacking business in Australia. I honestly wouldn't weigh this into the consideration of which platform to go for.

 

[severage]

Ive used Android for....a long freaking time. I've rooted, flashed new roms, downloaded apks online, etc.

I've never once gotten Malware. I dont know for sure, but I would estimate that less than .01% of Android users have EVER gotten Malware. This isn't windows we're talking about here.

The chance of getting Malware on Android when doing regular tasks is practically 0.

 

[dragon671556]

I had the Atrix before I purchased my 4S. I never used ROMs but I downloaded a lot of Apps from google store and never got any malware either.

 

[Lloydbm41]

I had the Atrix before I purchased my 4S. I never used ROMs but I downloaded a lot of Apps from google store and never got any malware either.

That's because it has already been proven that 99.9% of all Android malware is on 3rd party app stores or sideloaded apps from sketchy parts of the interwebs.
In fact, companies like 'Trend Micro' that try to sell their own garbage ware, likes to put out misleading info regarding Android. These guys were caught:
Link: http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/07/26/trend-micro-opens-foot-inserts-mouth-after-falsely-claiming-that-the-play-store-is-full-of-malware/

The Play Store is as safe a place to download an app as the iOS app store is.

 

[TheHateMachine]

Been sitting on the fence for a while now as to whether or not to make the jump to android and specifically the samsung s5. Chances are I will see what apple turnout with the iphone 6 as it fairly close now but the one thing that seems to be a regular occurrence with android is frequent gaps in their software allowing malware etc.

Below is another issue that's been reported in the news today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28544443

Everytime something like this happens there is always this little tidbit.

remain vulnerable if they download apps from outside the Google Play store.

Of course they could just put that in the headline, but hey... that wouldn't generate as many clicks.

 

[Vegastouch]

Been using Android four years and ive never used a anti virus and never had an issue. What was your initial reason since you called this thread "another reason"?

 

[Wolfpup]

Been sitting on the fence for a while now as to whether or not to make the jump to android and specifically the samsung s5. Chances are I will see what apple turnout with the iphone 6 as it fairly close now but the one thing that seems to be a regular occurrence with android is frequent gaps in their software allowing malware etc.

Below is another issue that's been reported in the news today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28544443

This week's Security Now talks about it. Nothing to worry about most likely as it's been/being fixed.

I'd NEVER get a Samsung phone though. If you want Android, get something with stock Android like the Nexus 5, or close-to-stock like the Moto X. Samsung ships with years out of date OSes, and they don't get updates. They also have terrible RF for that matter. The only thing Samsung has going for it is a massive marketing budget.

 

[jamezr]

This week's Security Now talks about it. Nothing to worry about most likely as it's been/being fixed.

I'd NEVER get a Samsung phone though. If you want Android, get something with stock Android like the Nexus 5, or close-to-stock like the Moto X. Samsung ships with years out of date OSes, and they don't get updates. They also have terrible RF for that matter. The only thing Samsung has going for it is a massive marketing budget.

LOL..can you provide any proof? Because I can buy a new Galaxy S5 today that will have the latest Android on it......

 

[Wolfpup]

LOL..can you provide any proof? Because I can buy a new Galaxy S5 today that will have the latest Android on it......

The S5 is two OS releases behind, and Samsung's flagship phone is a best case scenario. Just look at their lower end phones

 

[jamezr]

The S5 is two OS releases behind, and Samsung's flagship phone is a best case scenario. Just look at their lower end phones

Can you provide proof? I see your claims but it is just your word. What does a new Galaxy S5 ship with? What OS releases is it behind?
The highlighted part above refutes your first blanket statement......

 

[Wolfpup]

Can you provide proof? I see your claims but it is just your word. What does a new Galaxy S5 ship with? What OS releases is it behind?
The highlighted part above refutes your first blanket statement......

Err.. "proof"? You have the phone, check for yourself. Check Wiki's OS info for various Samsung phones, whatever.

 

[jamezr]

Err.. "proof"? You have the phone, check for yourself. Check Wiki's OS info for various Samsung phones, whatever.

So you have no proof to back up you blanket statement. So I call BS.....
You don't even know what version of Android Samsung phones are shipping with. So how can you know what is YEARS out of date? You don't even know what version of Android OEMs are shipping with for comparison. In the Samsung Galaxy S5 thread people are getting updates today as we speak. So that refutes the rest of your blanket statement.


Wolfpup quote:

I'd NEVER get a Samsung phone though. If you want Android, get something with stock Android like the Nexus 5, or close-to-stock like the Moto X. Samsung ships with years out of date OSes, and they don't get updates. They also have terrible RF for that matter. The only thing Samsung has going for it is a massive marketing budget.

 

[Wolfpup]

So you have no proof to back up you blanket statement. So I call BS.....

Wow. By your "logic" here I can just as easily say the exact same thing about you.

Why haven't you bothered checking your own phone you supposedly own?

 

[Shuri]

Can you provide proof? I see your claims but it is just your word. What does a new Galaxy S5 ship with? What OS releases is it behind?
The highlighted part above refutes your first blanket statement......

http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5

I checked reviews on amazon which say, it still ships with 4.4.2

The newest Version of Android is 4.4.4 the newest Samsung is offering seems to be 4.4.3

4.4.4 is a security update addressing OpenSSL Man in the Middle Attacks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history#Android_4.4_KitKat_.28API_level_19.29

 

[jamezr]

Wow. By your "logic" here I can just as easily say the exact same thing about you.

Why haven't you bothered checking your own phone you supposedly own?

sorry...nice try deflecting it off to me but I am not the one making erroneous blanket statements. You made statements that are false. When asked to back them up with proof....you have none.

Wolfpup quote:


Quote:

I'd NEVER get a Samsung phone though. If you want Android, get something with stock Android like the Nexus 5, or close-to-stock like the Moto X. Samsung ships with years out of date OSes, and they don't get updates. They also have terrible RF for that matter. The only thing Samsung has going for it is a massive marketing budget.

----------

http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5

I checked reviews on amazon which say, it still ships with 4.4.2

The newest Version of Android is 4.4.4 the newest Samsung is offering seems to be 4.4.3

4.4.4 is a security update addressing OpenSSL Man in the Middle Attacks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history#Android_4.4_KitKat_.28API_level_19.29

That is correct info......but OEMs are not shipping 4.4. Maybe Google's line of phones like the Nexus line or the GPE versions or Moto. But no major OEM ships with 4.4. They get updated......
But his blanket statement that Samsung ships phones with a version of Android that is years out of date was not correct. Then that it never gets updates is not correct either.

Wolfpup quote:


Quote:

I'd NEVER get a Samsung phone though. If you want Android, get something with stock Android like the Nexus 5, or close-to-stock like the Moto X. Samsung ships with years out of date OSes, and they don't get updates. They also have terrible RF for that matter. The only thing Samsung has going for it is a massive marketing budget.

 

[Wolfpup]

sorry...nice try deflecting it off to me but I am not the one making erroneous blanket statements.

Actually you are. You claim Samsung's phones are up to date, all up to date, and stay up to date for a reasonable length of time.

You could prove this isn't true to yourself by checking the OS version ON YOUR OWN PHONE which is the aboslute best case scenario for Samsung, but you refuse to do so, I guess so you can insult me some more

Have fun with that.

 

[mrex]

Something has to be said. When ou buy a device, you buy it with the system it has. You dont buy an option to get OS upgrades to version X, so that is only hoping. Too many people expect that they are somehow entitled to get OS upgrades. If you want get one, buy Nexus. Google has made it clear that they offer for some time upgrades.

But hey, we are so lucky that many of those companies offer us OS upgrades FOR FREE.

 

[jamezr]

Actually you are. You claim Samsung's phones are up to date, all up to date, and stay up to date for a reasonable length of time.

You could prove this isn't true to yourself by checking the OS version ON YOUR OWN PHONE, but you refuse to do so, I guess so you can insult me some more

Have fun with that.

There you go again....deflecting. I have never said what is highlighted. AND....I have never said I have the phone........again more misinformation from you.....

 

[Wolfpup]

Something has to be said. When ou buy a device, you buy it with the system it has. You dont buy an option to get OS upgrades to version X, so that is only hoping. Too many people expect that they are somehow entitled to get OS upgrades. If you want get one, buy Nexus. Google has made it clear that they offer for some time upgrades.

But hey, we are so lucky that many of those companies offer us OS upgrades FOR FREE.

The problem is in 2014 it's dangerous to be running internet-facing programs/OSes that aren't up to date. As such you really want to be running a Nexus or something that gets updates (like the Moto line seems to), or Windows Phone, or iOS.

There you go again....deflecting. I have never said what is highlighted.

Not in those literal words, but obviously that's your claim.

Again, go to Wikipedia or use your own phone if for some reason you don't believe me.

 

[jamezr]

Not in those literal words, but obviously that's your claim.

Again, go to Wikipedia or use your own phone if for some reason you don't believe me.

No again you make blanket incorrect assumptions and statements. Then you fail to provide any proof to back up anything you say.......

 

[Wolfpup]

Why do you keep claiming that when I did, and didn't need to regardless?

Why can't you just check your own phone? Do you not know how? Do you just like arguing?

 

[mrex]

The problem is in 2014 it's dangerous to be running internet-facing programs/OSes that aren't up to date. As such you really want to be running a Nexus or something that gets updates (like the Moto line seems to), or Windows Phone, or iOS.

Even Samsung provides updates if the problem is serious. And even being up to date doesnt mean you are in secure...

Is this another reason to avoid android?

If you consider avoiding android because you can get serious problem when you go to a dark alley and pull your pants down and waiting to see what happens next (read "install apps from whatever places") , then you should consider to abandon your iOS device immediately:
iphone the most vulnerable smartphone
vulnerabilities in ios
Security researcher: iOS security has been intentionally compromised by Apple

There will several problems in every OSs, and there will be always devices without latest updates. Should we build our phones from string and jars?

 

[sc4rf4c3]

The problem is in 2014 it's dangerous to be running internet-facing programs/OSes that aren't up to date. As such you really want to be running a Nexus or something that gets updates (like the Moto line seems to), or Windows Phone, or iOS.

Thanks for the joke.