If you want to use a phone for 5-6 years while retaining a decent level of security, buy an iPhone XR. You don't have other options. Please stop using insecure old Android phones and don't bother pretending that ROMs unable to ship full security updates change that situation...
Conversation
Pixels provide good security if you're going to replace your device within 3 years. It's quite possible that Google will support them for longer than their 3 year guarantee, but that remains to be seen. They don't have an existing track record for Pixels or devices with Treble.
1
1
3
Other Android phones don't offer the same security as a Pixel, even among those shipping monthly security updates reliably. They don't include all of the software and hardware security features. Only Essential cared enough to offer something comparable and stopped making phones.
Replying to
Quote Tweet
Replying to @DanielMicay
New hardware generations usually bring important security improvements but updating yearly is impractical for most people. I'm not suggesting that people actually use a phone for 5 years, but if they are going to do that, there aren't really any viable options other than iPhones.
1
2
Quote Tweet
Replying to @DanielMicay @ArielR_IP and @udiWertheimer
An increasingly large portion of phones get used beyond 3 years so supporting devices for only 3 years is becoming much less adequate. It was reasonable for the Nexus 5, 5X and 6P because the hardware was garbage. Pixels will often get used much longer because they age better.
1
Replying to
Don't Android One devices include all of the software security features?
Thank you for writing this thread! Reliable and somewhat detailed information about the security of different Android devices is hard to come by.
1
Replying to
No, they don't match the software security features provided by a Pixel and definitely not the hardware security features. They often have decent security updates and lack the vast majority of the faux pas usually committed by Android forks but they aren't on the same level.
1
Show replies