As annoying as software updates are on your phone, they are necessary to help protect you. With every update that you get, your phone’s performance can improve. On the other hand, ignoring these updates can make your phone slow, hang frequently and be incompatible with different apps and software. It can also make your phone security vulnerable.
Here are some important reasons phone software updates are essential.
Phone Software Updates Protect Your Information
You may have some or most of your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, bank account numbers and passwords, saved on your phone. Keeping personally identifiable information on cellular devices is common practice with numerous individuals because it is convenient.
However, this information is a gold mine for cybercriminals who can use various scams and viruses to attempt to steal your data. Since all of it is stored on a single device, hackers can access your information and use it for illegal activities or ask for ransom for its safe return. In extreme cases, hackers refuse to give the information back or leak it despite ransom payment.
If your phone has not been updated, chances are that it might have compromised privacy and security settings. This allows cybercriminals to gain access to your data. Frequent phone updates constantly fix security flaws and bugs, allowing you to have a more robust system to help protect your personal information.
Phone Updates Protect Other Devices
As mentioned earlier, information stored on your phone can easily be leaked to hackers if your security system isn’t up to date.
However, what’s more worrisome is how easily hackers can gain access to your other devices from your phone as well. Cybercriminals can use passwords, log-in information, other sensitive data stolen from your phone and your phone’s software vulnerabilities to gain access to all your other devices.
Furthermore, if there is a virus on your phone that has gone undetected, it can be transferred to your computer and other devices as well in the form of infected files. Hackers can carefully and methodically penetrate your most important files via your phone and are then able to use them for criminal purposes or extortion.
By updating your phone regularly, hackers cannot gain access to the information on your phone or other devices. Furthermore, the chances are that any infected files or underlying viruses in your phone can be detected or eliminated immediately as well. You are helping protect not only your phone but all your other devices as well.
Software Updates Offer New Features
One of the most compelling reasons for updating your phone regularly is to access all the exciting new features that come with it. Software updates are the phone company’s way of remotely improving the phone’s performance.
This can include adding new features that enhance the phone’s usability, functionality, compatibility with different devices and speed. For example, upgraded system enhancements can change your phone’s user interface or add extra features such as health features that can track your steps, accurate weather updates and improvements in voice recognition.
Bottom Line
Phone software updates are essential for numerous reasons. They improve the phone’s functionality and make it much more efficient. Updated phones do not usually experience compatibility issues with the latest software either, so you can download or use the latest versions of any application you like with ease.
New features gained through updates improve the phone’s stability and usability. However, the most important reason to update your phone is that this practice can constantly enhance your phone’s security features and help keep you safe from cybercriminals and viruses.
