Android phone makers skip Google security updates without telling users – study

Users told smartphone's software has been updated with monthly patches when it hasn't, new research claims

Some Android smartphone manufacturers are skipping security patches without notifying users, instead claiming their smartphone's software is up to date with Google's monthly security releases, researchers say.

Researchers from Germany's Security Research Labs (SRL) conducted a two-year study into the state of Android security focused around the monthly updates that Google issues and urges smartphone manufacturers to install.