It’s time to check what software version your phone is running

This article has been updated and was originally published on June 16, 2019

Shortly after you buy a new smartphone, you will start receiving software updates from app developers, as well as operating system upgrades from Apple and Google.

This seems simple, but you may have questions. Maybe you're wondering how to find out which version of Android or iOS your phone runs and why it matters. Or, you may not be sure how to get a new iOS on your iPhone, or why your Android phone will have to wait so long to get the latest software. We've found these answers.

It needs to be clear: never ignore operating system updates. Not only do they bring new features to your phone, such as better battery management and new notification options, but they also bring critical security and stability improvements every time.

Android

For convenience, Android actually consists of multiple different software, collectively known as "Android". The most basic is the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), developed by Google, but released as an open source software, the code is publicly available and can be used for free by anyone.

Then is the Google Mobile Services (GMS) package. It's not open source, but Google licenses it to its hardware partners for free in exchange for additional users Google acquires. GMS includes Google Search, Gmail, Chrome, YouTube, and the crucial Google Play Store.

[Related: Google's new data guidance draws on Apple's privacy policy]

When buying an Android phone, you usually get AOSP and GMS, as well as any additional apps and touches the manufacturer chooses to add – so the look of Android on different brands of phones like Samsung, LG, OnePlus, Sony, etc. Slightly different.

If you want to know what a device without a GMS looks like, the best example is an Amazon Fire tablet. Instead, these tablets come with Amazon's own app store where you can't officially run Google apps (although there are some ways to fix this).

Since Android is suitable for devices of various shapes and sizes, and phone manufacturers have added their own code on top of the AOSP framework, the platform has fragmentation issues – the latest version of Android doesn't always appear at the same time On each manufacturer's equipment.

To solve the fragmentation problem, Google tried various methods so that it would be easier for hardware partners to update different parts of Android at once. It also shifts more responsibility to the Google Play Store, so even if the phone isn't running the latest version of Android, you can get the latest security scan updates as well as the latest version of Google's apps and services.

This means that your Android phone will run a specific version of Android and run a specific version of the phone manufacturer's software on top of it. For example, on Samsung phones, that is the Samsung One UI, while OnePlus calls its software OxygenOS.

To check which version of Android you are running, please open "Settings", then click "About Mobile" , and check your phone under "Android Version" How new. You will process updates in a separate screen: From Settings, click "System" , "System Updates" and "Check Updates" from Settings to see if New software is available, but you should receive an alert when the update arrives and is ready to install.

We cannot guide you through the operation process of all Android phones, but it should be similar for any model you use. For example, on a Samsung phone, go to Settings, and click "About Phone" and then click "Software Information" to see which version of One UI you are running and Android. Again, the update prompt should appear automatically, but you can click "Check for System Updates" and then click "Download and Install" when there is a new software version available for your device. To manually check for updated Android versions.

Some phone manufacturers offer Android updates faster than others, so if you really want to know how long you want to wait, the best thing is to contact the company directly, or at least browse their support forums. Pixel phones developed by Google themselves are often the first recipients of major Android updates released every year.

iOS

Apple is easier to bring iOS updates to the world because it doesn't have to worry about multiple hardware partners, and it develops both the software and hardware that will run.

Therefore, iOS always outperforms Android in terms of quickly getting more users to use the latest version. In fact, Apple regularly unlicensed older versions of iOS, so once you upgrade, you can't crack your iPhone or iPad to return to earlier versions.

In addition to refreshing iOS every year, Apple also updates all its built-in applications, including Mail, Safari and Apple Maps. So when the new iOS version arrives, you will also see many updates to Apple apps on your phone.

[Related: Let your Android and Apple devices work together]

In each new version, Apple sometimes abandons some old devices that will remain on previous versions during its digital life cycle. This is not the case with iOS 12, it can run on all devices that can run iOS 11, but that requires attention.

To see if you have updated to the latest version of iOS, open Settings and click General and About this unit. The current iOS version number will be listed under "Software Version". You will be notified when a new iOS version is available, but if you want to check manually, click "General" in Settings and then click "Software Update" . If you want iOS to automatically perform the update process, click "Auto Update" and make sure the "Download iOS Update" toggle is on. After opening, you can also choose Automatic "Installation iOS Update" . Activate this toggle and your phone will install the update itself at night, but it will still notify you before it is installed.

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