Do not update apps for better hardware performance – is it true? – maybe

OK what is the actual reason to upgrade?

With the advent of smartphones the internet has never been so easily accessible as before and it’s cost has been so affordable that even after 4g entry. Also with not much data cap and the ability to use unused data on weekends paved way for using other apps like Netflix, Amazon prime etc. Moreover people nowadays upgrade their apps or phone firmware after receiving any notification without giving a second thought and that too after the increase in cybercrime incidents especially early 2020 during pandemic.

But what is the real reason to upgrade our phone/pc firmware and apps in the first place and why the developers do so?

Early 2010 during the smartphones entry into the market people had the option to install the app from the app stores like play store by Google or ovi store by Nokia but some notorious users found ways to install apps from some shady websites to bypass the pro version restrictions of their favourite apps especially games that they can’t afford. But cybercriminals used this to their advantage by luring those users to download other apps too which contained their adware and spyware.

Not knowing this users when realised they have been infected went to their device service providers and asking them to get it repaired saying ‘this device behaves weirdly’ and the service providers flash those hardware chips with new firmware and then came the antivirus providers for smartphones when there is no need for them in the first place as only the user error that bought them in.

Further to protect their reputation and not to be hard on customers and for their convenience the manufacturers started providing software update both for apps as well as for firmwares they did so inorder to patch any vulnerability and to fix bugs and provide new features to existing apps but what was interesting is they started it to use it to their advantage by bundling other apps and restricting users to change permissions telling them ‘it is done so for better service ‘ but actually not. As time passed by the manufacturers started providing their devices with ‘default apps’ tying up with app providers for better revenue by selling customer data with (out) their consent. Knowing that customers found a way by blocking internet per app and uninstalling those apps the manufacturers denied the option to either uninstall or disable them. Adding to that the manufacturers also made it even worse by ‘asking users to ‘accept’ their eula’ while setting up their new phone but only to know later that their phone calls home by sending usage statistics and other data no matter what software and techniques the user uses to stop it. The only difference between a tech savvy user and a normal user is the former gives less data while the later doesn’t know how to limit.

Okay but why all this explanation when the question is why to upgrade?

Yes you are right but sorry to explain all these facts as it helps for better understanding about the big picture. I would like to explain it with an example in our case an Android Smartphone but the same goes for all other devices and their manufacturers. Nowadays Android Smartphones come with 2years security updates and that includes updates to new firmware (new version of Android with UI) from the phone manufacturer but the catch is with each update the phone becomes slow and starts heating eventually making you go for another phone within a 3years time. Thanks to the evolution of technology within a short time as service providers and phone manufacturers work hand in hand to make people buy their products again and again even if there is no reason. When you update your phone with new apps and firmware the phone requires more resources than earlier to run them that includes storage space, memory, processing as a result the phone starts behaving wierdly over a period of time as this is a common case of phone heating over time. Also with each update comes more features (even if you don’t need them) graphics and permissions (includes access to internet) with no option to disable them or go back to previous version but only to find that to move on with it.

Okay got it but experts and most of the tech people say that to upgrade for security reasons and is it not wrong to ignore them?

Agreed. But please keep in mind that security reasons change from phone to phone and from app to app so the security patch for one phone and model might not be required for another phone infact it may break the existing stable version making it even worse to update and fix the flaw caused by the current update with the next one and the same goes for the apps too. So it is recommended to read the release notes before updating the phone firmware and the apps and that too only if it is required.

Is it not safe to not update apps when the phone is connected to the internet?

Please keep in mind that except a few apps most apps do not use the internet to function and except the apps that requires login and other personal information it is safe to run the other apps as it is. To make it easy and safe when buying a new phone and running for the first time tick only the check boxes that is necessary for the phone to function properly and uninstall the apps provided by the provider that comes by default that includes disabling the apps that doesn’t have the option to remove them, second install apps only from Google Play Store and look for apps that is same in function but with less permissions especially the apps without internet. Third instead of using individual apps for each purpose use a browser like Firefox that comes with privacy settings by default by doing so you not only limit the data sent to the provider but also minimise the headache by updating all the apps you can use the built in password manager provided by Firefox and set it to update automatically by ticking the check box provided in the options provided in the Play Store app (if you are too paranoid). 

But my phone still heats up even though I don’t have many apps running what now?

If this is the case see your privacy settings especially the ones that send data to the providers or buy a new phone if you have a plan of doing so if your phone is old. New phones nowadays are better equipped by using only the required permission and with options to use only at the time of using that app. Next you can disable the mobile data to only use it when in need or turn on the battery saver so that the app will function as required with less resources and least permission by this way your phone works the way it should by consuming fewer resources and running smooth for long without heating up.