Think Phone Updates Are Annoying? Here’s How They Could Save You

Smartphone software updates are essential for protecting your device, improving performance, and staying compatible with new apps and features. Learn why regular updates are critical for iPhone, Android, and other mobile devices in 2025 — and how skipping them can leave you vulnerable to security breaches, malware, and data loss.

We don’t often take the time to think about our other devices, like smartphones, and the importance of keeping them up to date. Whether you’re using an Apple or Android device, timely updates—especially security patches—are your first line of defense against security threats. These updates fix vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to access your personal data, spy on your activity, or even take remote control of your device.

Manufacturers are continually discovering security flaws, and release patches to fix them. Without these updates, your phone becomes an easy entry point for cybercriminals. For example, just this August, Google recently patched serious flaws in the Qualcomm GPU driver that were already under active exploitation, urging users to install the update immediately. Similarly, Apple’s iOS 18.6 included 24 fixes targeting a WebKit zero-day exploited in the wild.

A Real-World Example: Pegasus Spyware on iPhones

A compelling real-world example of the stakes involved is the Pegasus spyware attack. On any iPhone in mid-2016, this sophisticated zero-day only required someone to click the link in a text message, and the spyware would silently jailbreak an iPhone, giving attackers sweeping access to your messages, emails, microphone, contacts, etc., all while being completely undetectable. Apple quickly issued iOS 9.3.5 to patch the vulnerabilities exploited by the spyware.

This incident underscores how a single unpatched flaw can enable spyware to infiltrate even in seemingly innocuous situations—and highlights the importance of staying current with updates.

Additional Risks of Skipping Updates

• End of Support: Older devices eventually lose manufacturer support and stop receiving vital updates—making them easy targets. Early iPhones (pre-2014) and unsupported Android models fall into this category.
• Malware Attacks: Android users face specific threats like the Rafel RAT malware, which locks out users and deletes their photos—targeting devices no longer receiving security patches.
• Emergency Features: In the UK, a planned emergency alert test in 2025 won’t reach phones running outdated software (below iOS 14.5 or Android 11)—meaning owners of unsupported devices may miss critical alerts.

Best Practices for Staying Secure

Here are key steps to keep your phone hardened against threats:

1. Install updates promptly—don’t delay or defer critical patches.
2. Enable automatic updates when possible, for both OS and apps.
3. Know your device’s update lifespan—Luckily almost all major phone players have stepped up their support lifespan in the last few generations. Any new phone from Apple, Google, or Samsung comes with 7 years of support for security updates.
4. Avoid outdated devices—when choosing a new phone, consider update longevity as a priority, not just specs or price.

Conclusion

Keeping your phone up to date is more than a routine task—it’s a crucial step in protecting your privacy and digital life. From combating zero-day exploits to avoiding spyware like Pegasus, each update closes doors that hackers are eager to burst through. Don’t let an overdue patch be the thing that compromises your data—or your peace of mind.