Your phone is dying as you read this. Many people don’t realize that, like milk, condoms or your favorite hot sauce that’s been in the fridge since 2018, your phone has an expiration date.
At some point, every major phone maker, Apple, Samsung, Google, stops sending security updates to older devices. That cutoff is called End of Life, or EOL.
After that date, your phone keeps working. Your apps still open, but the door between your banking info and a criminal? It quietly stops getting locked. Every new vulnerability discovered after EOL stays wide open on your device.
😳 Here’s how big the problem is
More than 1 billion Android phones no longer receive security updates. Think about that. Millions of Americans are using them today for banking, shopping and email.
Most have no idea they’re at risk of getting their accounts taken over and money wiped out.
The December 2025 Android patch alone fixed over 100 vulnerabilities. If your phone missed that update, every single one of those doors is still open.
📲 Which phones are affected
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra: Security updates have ended. Done.
Samsung Galaxy S21: Nearing EOL. The S21 FE is still getting quarterly updates through 2026.
Google Pixel 5 and older: Support ended. Anything below a Pixel 6, you’re unprotected.
Older iPhones (SE 1st gen, iPhone 8, iPhone X): These no longer receive full iOS support. Security coverage is gone.
LG phones: LG left the phone business in 2021. Nearly every LG device has reached the end of support. Nearly. Every. One.
🔍 Check your phone’s EOL
Go to endoflife.date. Search for your phone’s make and model. It shows the exact date your device loses support. Takes 30 seconds.
Average lifespans to know:
- iPhone: five to seven years.
- Samsung S-series newer models: up to seven years.
- Google Pixel 8 and newer: up to seven years.
- Budget Android: often just two to three years.
Pro tip: Before buying any used electronics, run them through this site first. It covers hundreds of devices aside from phones.
📩 Send this to someone who’s been using the same phone for so many years and has never once thought about whether it’s still protected. They’re probably banking on a device with zero security updates. Forward this. It’s the kind of thing a good friend tells you.