Nexus Devices Will Receive Monthly Security Updates

There has been a lot of talk recently about Android security particularly after the Stagefright vulnerability was discovered. Google has been hard at work developing a fix and then sending it out through carrier and OEM partners, the company also announced today that it’s going to roll out monthly security updates for Nexus devices from now on.

Google exercises direct control on software updates for Nexus devices which is why it’s able to do this, and OEM/carrier devices it has to send them the update first which they test and tweak before releasing it to end users. This is one of the major reasons why fragmentation exists in Android and users end up having to wait for months just to get an update.

For the past three years Google has been notifying Android OEMs every month through bulletins of security issues so that they in turn can keep their users secure.

Now it’s going one step further even if for Nexus devices. From this week on the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, Nexus 10 and the Nexus Player will receive regular over-the-air updates every month that are focused on security aside from the usual platform updates that the company releases periodically. The update that it has started rolling out today brings fixes for the Stagefright vulnerability.

Google will also issue the same fixes to the public through the Android Open Source Project, the company reiterates that Nexus devices will receive major updates for at least two years and security patches from either three years since it was launched or 18 months from the device’s last sale on the Google Store.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Cellphones, Tablets
Tags: Android, Google, nexus