Is My Galaxy S9+ Safe

[Catbert]

I just realized that according to Google Samsung/Verizon is no longer supporting my S9+ with software updates.  The phone works fine for my uses.  The battery lasts all day most days.  Although it's 4G that's fast enough for me.   I don't (think I) use any scammy apps.  Hotel, airline, mainstream grocery store, financial institution apps=yes.  Temu, Tik Tok, Facebook=No.

Verizon keeps making me seemingly great offers for a new phone.  The latest is an S24+ with AI for $5 a month for 36 months ($180) to trade in my phone and keep my current plan.  Seems good except for the AI part. 

Is continuing to use the S9+ too dangerous?  Is the current deal spectacular enough that I should just take it?  I don't need the latest and greatest.

Side Note:  I'm unlikely to leave Verizon.  It's less than $100 a month for two phones.  I switched to Verizon 10 years ago when DH was undergoing chemo and I became very important to get/make phone calls.  Our previous discount phone plan (Virgin) unreliable with weak signal at our home.  Going to Starbucks .5 miles away awaiting oncology phone calls convinced us to change carriers.

[shingy]

My general advice whenever this comes up with friends and family is to replace the phone as soon as it is no longer supported with at least security updates (some companies stop providing feature updates, but still do security updates for a while). New bugs and vulnerabilities are found constantly, so it's really important to have the latest protection.

[Sibley]

Well, damn. I knew my phone was having issues, but hadn't realized it wasn't getting security updates anymore. Sigh. Guess I will be getting a new phone this year.

[Catbert]

My general advice whenever this comes up with friends and family is to replace the phone as soon as it is no longer supported with at least security updates (some companies stop providing feature updates, but still do security updates for a while). New bugs and vulnerabilities are found constantly, so it's really important to have the latest protection.

I was afraid this would be the answer.  I guess I better look at that cheap to me S24+ for myself and DH.  He's in the early stages of Alzheimer's so moving him to a new phone will only get worse if I wait.  There's also an advantage to us both having the same phone.  I do resent getting rid of a perfectly fine adequate phone.

[Catbert]

We went and got two S24+ phones yesterday.  $5 a month (each) for 36 months so we are tied to Verizon for another 3 years which is okay.  It did end up costing us $350 to get out of the store for taxes, random fees, chargers and cases.  Phones do all sorts of fancy stuff that we will never use.

Having exactly the same phone as DH will be a good thing.  He has Alzheimer's so he runs into more phone problems than the rest of us.

[Sibley]

@Catbert  $5 a month for 36 months is $180. Do you own it at the end of that term? Because I can't imagine that phones actually only cost $180.

Edit: went on verizon's website and figured it out. However, looks like I can get a new phone for basically $200, so I guess that's what I'm doing tomorrow.

[Catbert]

The full purchase price is something like $1100.  Part of that $350 I paid up front was taxes on the full purchase price.  The trick is that you are tied to Verizon for 3 years.  If you leave early you'll owe a prorated amount of that $1100.  If you stay at the end of 3 years you'll fully own the phone and can go elsewhere if you wish.

I've been happy with Verizon service and the monthly cost.  I don't like their sales tactics but am willing to exploit them.  They have no prices posted in their stores because it all depends.  I could hear sales clerks breaking the bad new to customers, "Your current plan isn't eligible for the $200 phone.  If you upgrade your plan for only an extra $xx a month you can pay $200 for the phone."   

[Sibley]

LOL I'm on the family plan. My sister manages everything. Part of me deciding to go this weekend to get a new phone was confirming that she was available to talk to the Verizon store for me. I quite literally call her, put her on speaker, and let her and the verizon person talk. I then send her money monthly for my portion of the bill. She rolls her eyes at me, but considering the things I help her out with, its a fair trade.

[wcschenk]

1.) yes it is safe...I have a galaxy s9 and it works great. The battery is a little weak and I have 1 issue with Google docs on my phone...that's it. Hardly a reason to switch.

2.) As time goes on, you MAY notice a LITTLE thing here or there stop working or act a little wonky. 98% of everything will function as it should.

3.) I wouldnt worry about AI in a phone....its likely not true, spy all AI....but a marketing ploy to make the phone seem better than it truly is. The terms AI is everywhere...and 80% of the time is used incorrectly.

4.)  would LEAVE verizon as you are getting WAY over charged...especially if you don't "NEED" 5g.  Look into Visible Wireless (can bring your galaxy s9 + with you). $20 a month for unlimited 4g and some 5g wireless....includes taxes. THEN....when you NEED a new phone....aka your s9+ breaks is the battery is getting to weak and you see the need to replace it.....buy a refurbed 2-3 year old model off Amazon or ebay for $300.

5.) locking into a pricey verizon contract for an exspensive phone that you dont value at full price seems very inefficient.

[dang1]

"Google Play Services also has an enormous role to play in securing older Android phones against bad apps, which generally come from app stores other than the Google Play Store.

The main weapon in Google's arsenal is Google Play Protect, which is effectively Android's built-in virus scanner. When you're installing an app from a third-party location, it's scanned by this constantly updated feature to identify malicious tendencies, and Play Protect will also periodically scan your phone in the background. This is a big part of why scary-sounding Android security bugs like 2015's "Fake ID" never end up taking off. Thanks to Play Services, the vast majority of Android devices are protected, and offending apps are nipped in the bud almost immediately.

You could say this is a stopgap solution, since the underlying vulnerability isn't fixed until a firmware update or Project Mainline update is rolled out. But either way, the malware's not getting through, and users are protected — even if they're running an older Android security patch level."
https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-play-services

[LD_TAndK]

USMobile's "Warp 5g" network is Verizon. We use it and have coverage anywhere verizon has towers. We pay $18 a month for two phones, unlimited talk and text, 2 gigs data.

You can get refurbished phones from backmarket that are still supported and pretty cheap.

[nalor511]

1.) yes it is safe...I have a galaxy s9 and it works great. The battery is a little weak and I have 1 issue with Google docs on my phone...that's it. Hardly a reason to switch.

2.) As time goes on, you MAY notice a LITTLE thing here or there stop working or act a little wonky. 98% of everything will function as it should.

3.) I wouldnt worry about AI in a phone....its likely not true, spy all AI....but a marketing ploy to make the phone seem better than it truly is. The terms AI is everywhere...and 80% of the time is used incorrectly.

4.)  would LEAVE verizon as you are getting WAY over charged...especially if you don't "NEED" 5g.  Look into Visible Wireless (can bring your galaxy s9 + with you). $20 a month for unlimited 4g and some 5g wireless....includes taxes. THEN....when you NEED a new phone....aka your s9+ breaks is the battery is getting to weak and you see the need to replace it.....buy a refurbed 2-3 year old model off Amazon or ebay for $300.

5.) locking into a pricey verizon contract for an exspensive phone that you dont value at full price seems very inefficient.

If your phone isn't getting security updates anymore, it's not "safe", for 99% of people. https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/is-it-safe-use-phone-after-stops-receiving-security-updates

[Sibley]

Um, the gps and the internet searches were both malfunctioning on my old phone. If its not going to do that stuff, then why would I bother with one at all?

I have a new phone. Galaxy S23 FE. Should be fine for the foreseeable future.