Guides / Consumer
Smartphone updates ending: keep, replace or sell?
Every smartphone reaches the point where the vendor stops delivering security updates. From then on, every newly discovered vulnerability stays open forever. Here is the honest risk assessment — and what you can still do with the device.
How long updates last (per current vendor policies)
- Apple: major iOS versions typically 5-7 years; afterwards often occasional security patches for older iOS versions.
- Samsung: up to 7 years of OS and security updates on current Galaxy flagships (older series like the S21: about 5 years of security updates).
- Google Pixel: Pixel 8 and newer 7 years; Pixel 6/7 still 5 years of security updates.
- Many mid-range Androids: only 2-4 years — the update promise is worth checking before you buy.
How risky is a phone without updates, really?
In short: too risky for banking, payments and sensitive accounts. Browser and messaging vulnerabilities are actively exploited, and without patches every gap stays open. As a music player, in-car navigation or camera without sensitive logins, the risk is manageable.
Your options
- Trade-in / sale: the earlier, the more residual value — the price drops sharply once updates end.
- Buy refurbished instead of new: checked devices with 1-3 years of remaining support cost 30-50 % less than new.
- Downgrade the use: move banking apps to the new device, keep the old one as a secondary device without sensitive data.
- Recycle properly: batteries don't belong in household waste — retailers and recycling centres take old devices back free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether my smartphone still gets updates?
Check the date of the last security update in the settings. If it's more than 3-4 months ago and none appears, support is effectively over. The EOSL365 overview lists the key model dates.
Can I still use an iPhone without updates for online banking?
We advise against it. Banking apps increasingly require minimum iOS versions, and unpatched browser vulnerabilities are the main entry point. Banking belongs on a device with a current security level.
What does ‘projected’ mean for the dates?
Vendors rarely publish smartphone support end dates as an exact date. We derive the dates from the official update policies (e.g. ‘5 years from launch’) and mark them accordingly.