Google announces monthy Nexus security patches; Samsung follows suit

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s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
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http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2015/08/an-update-to-nexus-devices.html

http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/s...ely-protection-from-security-vulnerabilities/

They've also started pushing Stagefright patches today. AT&T (!!!) and Sprint (Note 4 had the fix rolled into last week's 5.1.1 update) so far in the US for Samsung:
http://www.androidcentral.com/att-p...loit-galaxy-s6-active-note-4-s5-and-s5-active

I assume the Samsung updates will only/mostly be for flagships, but even so this is a pretty nice selling point.
 
S

shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,782
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Android was built from day one with security in mind.
Click to expand...

Google is so full of it, its almost as bad as politicians. If security was its number one priority since day one then everyone phone would be running the latest android version rather than being left behind unsecured.
 
pete6032

pete6032

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2010
8,045
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Has anything crazy like this ever happened to BlackBerry? Where someone found an exploit like this? I know Apple had one with the text message thing a few weeks ago.
 
Karl Agathon

Karl Agathon

Golden Member
Sep 30, 2010
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s44 said:
http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2015/08/an-update-to-nexus-devices.html

http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/s...ely-protection-from-security-vulnerabilities/

They've also started pushing Stagefright patches today. AT&T (!!!) and Sprint (Note 4 had the fix rolled into last week's 5.1.1 update) so far in the US for Samsung:
http://www.androidcentral.com/att-p...loit-galaxy-s6-active-note-4-s5-and-s5-active

I assume the Samsung updates will only/mostly be for flagships, but even so this is a pretty nice selling point.
Click to expand...

AT&T Note 4 user here. Still no 5.1.1 update for me yet :eek: Hopefully soon..
 
S

soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
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pete6032 said:
Has anything crazy like this ever happened to BlackBerry? Where someone found an exploit like this? I know Apple had one with the text message thing a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...

like linux, there are sploitz, but nobody bothers because there are 100x as many Windows PCs as Linux ones.
 
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
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Thank goodness. This has needed to happen for years.
 
sweenish

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
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So, this new update policy has been rumored since before I/O. It is not a result of Stagefright.
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
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sweenish said:
So, this new update policy has been rumored since before I/O. It is not a result of Stagefright.
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Yeah but it all coming out after Stagefright it is bad thing. It shows Android phone makers are only motivated to act when the heat is on.

Google has tried to push this for years, this is just another "Android Update Alliance." And just like the Android Update Alliance I expect the phone makers to skirt around this or ignore their new promises as soon as they think the coast is clear.

The problem is the business model. Right now any future updates eat into the profit margin for a device. There is very little in the way of after-sale revenues coming from these devices, so it is in their best interest to NOT update the devices as that cuts into that initial sale margin. The only reason LG, Samsung, etc. are promising security updates is because the PR cost is greater than the update cost. But in a year when Stagefright blows over that motive is gone.

Google has a way to fix it, but they won't do it because it sucks for them. Offer the phone makers a slice of Play Store revenue for their devices, but make it a stipulation that the device has to be up-to-date to get that revenue. You would see the Samsungs of the world RACING to beat the Nexus phones to updates if that was the case. Problem is Google would have to take a cut on Android profits to get there. SOMEONE has to pay for updates, and in mobile devices there is no expectation nor mechanism for the consumer to pay extra themselves to take on that burden.

If I could get a S6 and pay say $50 extra a year to get fast AOSP updates for the device I would do that in a second. But we aren't even given an option.
 
sweenish

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
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It's not another Android Update Alliance, Google isn't trying to get other OEMs on board. If anything, Stagefright just told Google that now is as good a time as any to announce the policy they'd been working on for months now.

They announced a new policy that applies to the Nexus line, and that's it. Samsung is at least following suit with security updates.

Also, your solution isn't realistic in the least.
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
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sweenish said:
It's not another Android Update Alliance, Google isn't trying to get other OEMs on board. If anything, Stagefright just told Google that now is as good a time as any to announce the policy they'd been working on for months now.

They announced a new policy that applies to the Nexus line, and that's it. Samsung is at least following suit with security updates.
Click to expand...

You don't think Google didn't make a call to Samsung, LG, etc about updates and Stagefright? It is a pox on all houses, so they have a motivation to work together.

Also, your solution isn't realistic in the least.
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One day when Cyanogen is about to go IPO you will see the viability of that business model.
 
Commodus

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
6,820
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I thin owe should give them a chance. The real question is whether or not other manufacturers will follow suit. I could see Motorola doing it, but will HTC? Xiaomi? Certainly not counting on some tiny OEM that's surviving by the skin of its teeth.

As good as Android's relative openness may be, this is a friendly reminder that when you give up control of your platform... well, you lose control of your platform. Google can extol the virtues of regular security updates all it wants, but Android may remain forever behind iOS in security simply because Google can't insist that all vendors release patches in a timely manner. Not without rethinking what Android means, anyway.
 
ThisIsChrisKim

ThisIsChrisKim

Member
Dec 4, 2013
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poofyhairguy said:
One day when Cyanogen is about to go IPO you will see the viability of that business model.
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Other 3rd party APIs and apps replacing Google's apps and services? As long as Google as at the helm of AOSP, Cyanogen will never be a superior option (ask us who are unhappy with how the Oneplus One was treated) unless you're dead set against using anything with Google's fingerprints on it.
 
sweenish

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
3,656
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poofyhairguy said:
You don't think Google didn't make a call to Samsung, LG, etc about updates and Stagefright? It is a pox on all houses, so they have a motivation to work together.



One day when Cyanogen is about to go IPO you will see the viability of that business model.
Click to expand...

First one's your assumption, not a strong base for your argument.

Second one is just how delusional you are.
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
From what I've read, these updates will only apply to 5.1 and later, which accounts for less than 3% of Android installs. At least Samsung and LG are on board so that's great news for current flagships and future phones. Bad news for a large number of people with existing devices.
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
ThisIsChrisKim said:
Other 3rd party APIs and apps replacing Google's apps and services? As long as Google as at the helm of AOSP, Cyanogen will never be a superior option
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It just needs to be cheaper for hardware makers to pick it up at the lowend.

Totally a prediction though, so I could be very wrong.
 
sweenish

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
3,656
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poofyhairguy said:
Gapps aren't.
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And right now, Cyanogen OS devices are GMS certified, rendering your point moot.

When/If Cyanogen replaces all the Google bits their hodge-podge of other bits, no one will want those phones. Because trading Google for Bing/in house/other companies doesn't exactly alleviate anything, cost-wise. Nor does it create a unified experience.

I don't know how you see Cyanogen OS catching on.
 
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