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How-to: Check whether your Android device will get updated against Meltdown and Spectre

Google was quick to respond to the CPU vulnerabilities, Meltdown and Spectre. The firm advised that its January security patch included mitigations, and said that it had issued patches to its Android partners.

But whether those patches will ever make it as far as your device is another matter …

Many older devices from mainstream Android smartphone and tablet makers won’t be updated.

Italian trade-in company riCompro checked support documents from leading Android brands to check which devices were and weren’t receiving an update to mitigate against the CPU bugs.

Samsung phones getting update

  • Galaxy S6
  • Galaxy S7
  • Galaxy S8

Older S4 and S5 are not being updated.

Samsung tablets being updated

  • Note 5/Edge
  • Note 8
  • Tab S3

But owners of the Note 4/Edge, Tab 2, Tab 3, Tab 4/Tab S and Tab S2 are being left out in the cold.

Other Android brands

For other brands, you can either consult the spreadsheet below, or run an online tool to check your device. Simply visit that page on your device and then hit the ‘Verify now’ button.

Apple devices

For Apple devices, anything capable of running iOS 11 is covered, so the iPhone 5S and later.

Image: TechCrunch


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