Google will soon stop you from signing in on your old Android devices, starting September 27 of this year. This affects any Android devices that are running Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread and lower, so you should head over to our pick of the best Android phones if you need help choosing an upgrade.
Attempting to log into your Android-enabled device after the September cut-off date may lead to username and password errors, as well as other log-in problems across the suite of Google services and products.
- Instagram reveals new safety features for its youngest users
- Snapchat on iOS now makes it easier to find new places on the map
- Google could soon launch Switch To Android app to tempt iPhone users
Devices that are running older versions of Android are more common than you might think, as well: whether this is because of people holding onto old handsets or manufacturers no longer rolling out updates to old models, Google will soon limit these handsets' features.
According to its support document, the company says: “If you sign into your device after September 27, you may get username or password errors when you try to use Google products and services like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps.”
If you have an older handset, which is likely to lose support, Google has advised users to update their Gingerbread (or earlier version depending on your model) handset to the latest version.
The company will still let you do this if your devices are bracketed as part of the older models. If you own one of the best iPhone devices and fancy a change to Android, then there's an easy way to do this through the new Switch To Android app, which makes migrating from iOS to Android a walk in the park.
