The government is considering putting forward new laws together, which would force Apple and Google to tell their customers when their smartphones would eventually malfunction. Politicians have already launched efforts to try and make it easier for users to replace certain parts of their devices to increase its lifespan. The move is part of a wider spread of plans to make sure smart phones and other tech meet stricter security requirements.
Research has suggested that a third of all customers are now keeping their handheld appliances for up to four years. On the other hand, some brands are only offering very important updates to keep their tech secure. A study, that was undertaken by ‘Which?’, discovered that the majority of iPhones had still been receiving updates even after five years. However, certain Android devices were only allowing for up to three years of new software updates, and even some were cancelling updates for fairly new phones.
Even though Apple provide multiple security and software updates to its devices, the company has been heavily criticised for purposely slowing down their gadgets, making their consumers more obliged to buying a new device from them. As part of proposals from the government, manufacturers will need to provide a point of contact for the public/consumers to report any problems that they may spot. In addition, they will also be forbidding companies from allowing straight forward passwords such as ‘password’ and ‘admin’.
An industry group, called ‘Cyber Tech Accord’, have already instigated a new set of voluntary standards, which would improve the security of smart devices.
