Help My phone may stop working in 2021

[3d1l]

Hello,

I have a LG L90 D415 that I bought back in 2014 and is working perfectly. I was using it with the last official update sent by the manufacturer (Andorid 5.1.1 Lollipop), but one single APP stop working and when I check for that APP, for it to work I needed to have Android 6 Marshmallow. Problem was that the manufacturer stop supporting the unit and they decided not to provide any other update beyond 5.1.1. Luckily I found that there was version 7 Nougat for my unit as an AOSP with Linange OS. Me, being an ignorant of android configuration, had a hard time installing it but finally was able to make it work. If not for that APP that stop working I would never change the OS but at the end I was happy, it was like having a new phone. I was able to install the APP and make it work. Then few days ago I read this article:

Devices may stop working next year: Here's why

The article is talking about devices that won't be able to work due to outdated security certificates. Specifically about andorid devices using Android version 7 Nougat (the one that I recently install on the phone), the article says:

The most vulnerable devices

Helme said users of Windows computers won't need to worry, as Microsoft has built in constant updating of certificates. Web browsers on most platforms get certificate updates regularly. And because iPhones get system updates so frequently, "I wouldn't be too concerned about this problem if I was an iOS user (I am)."

"But it looks like Android users might have some concerns in the not too distant future," Helme added.

That's because as of April 2020, nearly 40% of all Android devices visible to Google were using now-unsupported Android versions such as Nougat or earlier. (These statistics don't include Amazon Fire tablets, Xiaomi Mi phones or other devices that run non-Google versions of Android.) Many of those older devices may soon lose the ability to connect to most app servers and websites.​

Since I have an old unit it seems that there is no interest from the LinageOS people to build at least version 8 of Android for the LG L90. So I need to ask, What are my options? Is there a way to find updated security certificates?

Please advise.

 

[ocnbrze]

if the phone is rooted then you do not have to worry. as long as there is a dev community supporting your device, you should be good to go. but once, they move on to other devices, then you will be screwed. i would at least start looking for a newer phone.

the only way to update security is to have a firmware that has been updated or thru a custom rom with the security update cooked in.

 

[3d1l]

That's the problem I was lucky to find Linage OS with ver. 7 for my phone. But beyond that I have not been able to find any update.

 

[ocnbrze]

then i would start to begin thinking about upgrading the phone sometime in the near future. i always update my phone every 2-3 years. i have the note 10+, but i have just started to think about the note 21 which should be out by next year.....but that is me. for you i would stick with the phone you have for now, but keep in mind updating in the background.

 

[svim]

Well just to make one point clear (those quotes from whatever article clearly are not), it's not that your phone will actually stop working. It's more a matter of problems with online interactions, and it involves a web browser app. Certs pertain to web browsers. Apps don't rely upon browser security certificates (well the distinction being web browser apps do) so app support is still going to be a conditional issue -- some developers support their apps for several versions back, some don't (or based on functionality can't). Also absent in that quote, is the issue where most web browser apps rely on the Android security certs, some like Firefox use their own integral security web certs. This is a carryover issue that has been a long-standing issue with desktop operating systems -- i.e. if you use IE, Edge, or Chrome on a WinPC they all rely upon the operating security certs (Linux, Mac, Win) but if you use Firefox instead, it relies upon its own and ignores the OS certs.
So your phone running on a dated version of Android will continue working but the certs issue is a browser app issue more than anything. (... with viable workarounds).

 

[3d1l]

svim those are good news. After rooting and installing Linage OS ROM I tried to use as few Google apps as possible, for Gapps I installed the PICO option. I'm not using Chrome but Firefox on the phone.