Security updates have stopped for millions of devices running older versions of Android. If your phone can’t upgrade beyond Android 12, Google’s advice is clear. It may be time to replace it.

Google has confirmed that Android devices running Android 12 or older no longer receive security patches. That decision has left an estimated 42.1% of Android phones exposed to new malware and spyware attacks.

According to the latest Android distribution numbers, only 57.9% of devices are running Android 13 or newer. Everything below that line is effectively frozen in time, security-wise.

Phones released in 2021 or earlier are the most affected, and the number hasn’t meaningfully improved over the past year. Roughly one billion Android users worldwide remain stuck on unsupported software.

Android fragmentation is the real culprit