Starting this week, Nexus devices will begin receiving monthly OTA security updates says Google.
The announcement has been made via the Official Android blog, by Lead Engineer for Android Security Adrian Ludwig, and Venkat Rapaka, Director of Nexus Product Management, who point out that Google has been notifying Android manufacturers of security issues affecting Android devices on a monthly basis for the last 3 years.
The open source nature of Android, pre-screening of apps submitted to Google Play and’Application Sandbox’ approach to security has led to what Google says is less than ‘0.15% of devices with any kind of potentially harmful app installed’.
The announcement is directed at the Stagefright vulnerability which was announced last week, which Google says will be addressed in the update being released today to the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, Nexus 10, and Nexus Player.
Google will update the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) with the patches and Google went on further to advise ‘Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years and security patches for the longer of three years from initial availability or 18 months from last sale of the device via the Google Store’.
We’ll be looking out for updates to the Factory Images page for the update and of course as soon as OTA updates become available we’ll let you know as well.
About bloody time!!! If google can’t do it with their own devices, then how do they expect OEMs to do it!?
Something I’ve long time believed. Android needs a Patch Tuesday just as much as a desktop PC. It’s the big weakness of the operating system.
Your other post about Samsung working on something similar is good. I hope they advertise it loudly so that other makers are pushed into it too. And carriers have to let this stuff flow through without interference.
It should become a check box option when picking a phone, like the camera or screen size.
Now just need a way to OTA update a rooted device…
I was considering moving to cyanogen mod for their fast fixes. This is a good development.