Given that Android phones have been around for nearly two decades now, there comes a time when Google has to end support for one of its older software versions. For a couple of years now, Google Play services has been supported on devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or newer. That has changed over the past few weeks, with Google deciding to retire this software version after a nearly 11-year run.
↫ Chethan Rao at Android Authority
At some point, an operating system version needs to be left behind – and I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable to no longer support Google Play Services on an operating system version that’s 11 years old. However, this is Android we’re talking about, and devices running Android 6.0 were probably sold much more recently than 11 years ago, when the operating system version was new. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if devices running Android 6.0 are still being sold today.
I doubt this is something that will affect many people who read OSNews, but there’s bound to be edge cases – Android 6.0 devices silently doing their job that are now just a little less useful. I’m thinking of really cheap tablets that can still play video just fine, retro gaming handhelds that don’t magically lose the ability to emulate SNES games, that sort of stuff. The numbers will be small, but if you happen to be among them, this can be a really annoying deprecation.
Google Play is infested with crapware anyway, so that is no loss as long as sideloading still works. More concerning is the looming “developer verification” nonsense which will end Android’s usefulness as a general purpose computing platform.
“Dropping support” implies there was support… when was the last bug fix or patch? No supported upgrade path and many apps and services incompatible already.. It was just turning off the tap when the tank was already empty..
There was still a few applications updated for Android 6, but they were now so huge, probably because using the latest SDK with less optimization, or also versions for the more recent Android/ARM version that it was taking a lot of memory and running very slow on the device that was a premium phone when it was out..
My daily driver phone is a LG G3 from 2014, running Android 6. D’oh!
What I do with such an old buddy ? Phone, photo, agenda, alarm clock, etc.
No internet on it, using it like a “dumb phone” but not that dumb.
No need for a “minimalist mode” 🙂
Kudos! Anything and anyone keeping completely functional equipment out of the landfill have my appreciation.
The problem with Google Play Services dropping support for a given Android version is that purchased DRMed games stop working, even if already installed on the device, since the “license check” fails.
At some time, you reach a point where an old game doesn’t work on new phones due to API incompatibilities but can’t run on old phones either because the “license check” (which uses Play Services DRM) fails.
That’s great, that means you get to buy the Ultra Mega HD remaster of the now-unsupported Mega HD Remaster! We’ve made the decision to increase value for the customer, which means it’s only $30 more than the last remaster, too
I wish I was given even that option. When it comes to racing games with licensed cars (my favorite genre), games are simply delisted when their car licenses expire and slowly fade into obscurity. There is one exception (Need For Speed Hot Pursuit for PC and consoles, which got a remaster), but that’s literally the only exception. Even the Android and iOS version of that game were delisted as usual, so my purchased Android copy is on the countdown clock to become unusable.
And that’s assuming the Play Store doesn’t outright remove the game from your library, as they did with my purchased copy of Colin McRae Rally for Android, which means the only way to play that game now on Android is to sail the high seas.
” – and I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable to no longer support Google Play Services on an operating system version that’s 11 years old. ”
However, I find it entirely unreasonable that hardware manufacturers provide no software upgrade path to a fully up to date (as in: security patches) os on a device that is a mere eleven years old.
FlyingBoats,
I don’t mind new releases dropping support for very old hardware. However what’s BS is the unsupported DRM can screw over owners. Owners are subjected to someone else holding the keys to our devices/software and we’re forced to rely on them to be the stewards of those keys. Well, when companies loose interest in doing their job, they should be legally compelled to release the keys of DRM they’re no longer going to support. And failure to do so should be backed by real penalties IMHO.