No more access to Google services for some of the older Android smartphones starting next September 27: here’s what happens and how to fix.
Starting from the end of September, Google will block access to its services to all those who try to authenticate from an Android smartphone with a version of ten years ago, precisely those with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread or earlier.
It sounds strange in our time that someone still uses such an old smartphone. Ten years is an eternity in a period in which within a year a product is already obsolete and after five it is considered an inconvenient object to get rid of. But come to think of it, some of these smartphones “of the first era” could still be used as backup devices, to be used if the main device should have problems, perhaps for an intervention in assistance. It will no longer be possible from next September 27, date starting from which Google will prevent access to its services such as Gmail, YouTube or Maps from products with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread or earlier.
What will happen from next September
From that point on those who try to access through the app to Google services from such services you may receive an “error message regarding username or password”. Do not worry warning from Mountain View, will be quite normal: you can not do this anymore.
Google also explained the reasons for this choice that some might find incomprehensible, or behind which they could see the desire to ” push ” the purchase of new products. aimed at “protecting the safety of our users”.
Smartphones whose support ended with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread in fact have not been updated for about ten years, and not only in terms of functional news but also (and above all) on the news in terms of security through patches: for this reason, they say from Mountain View, accessing a Google account from a potentially hackable product is a practice that over the years the company has discouraged and that from the end of September it will no longer admit.
No stop for those already logged in
An important clarification must be made. Devices with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread or even older that will already be logged in to a specific account after September 27 will be able to continue to use those services and apps without problems.
Starting from that date, in fact, those who are already authenticated with the Google account will potentially remain so for life, or in any case until a factory reset, a change of password of the account itself or measures of this type will not force them to do it again. access.
Only in this hypothesis, that of having to access the Google account or service again from an Android smartphone in version 2.3.7 or earlier, will it be acknowledged that it is impossible to do so. Otherwise, nothing will change.
In any case, those who want to ignore the security reasons mentioned by Google already have the solution ready : access services via browser and not via apps. It is not the most comfortable of all, but it is certainly among the most pragmatic.
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