Consumers aren't the only ones who are disgusted with waiting for Android updates. The ACLU(American Civil Liberties Union) is asking the FTC to investigate the long time it takes to update software which puts consumers' privacy at risk. They also contend if the carriers don't fix the security update issues, they should offer refunds and release Android owners from their contracts.
Google’s Android operating system now has more than 75% of the smartphone market, yet most of them are running software that is out of date, noted the ACLU.
All four of the major wireless carriers consistently fail to provide consumers with available security updates to repair known security vulnerabilities in the software operating on mobile devices," the ACLU stated in a complaint filed with the FTC (pdf).
The ACLU also notes that although the major wireless carriers have sold millions of Android smartphones most of the devices rarely receive software security updates.
Many consumers are using smartphones with Android software with known security vulnerabilities for which fixes have been published by Google.
Security threats include the ability to transmit information stored on the phones, stock individuals, perpetrate fraud and capture private details of an individual's life.
Wireless carriers have failed to warn customers that the smartphones were running vulnerable software.
The ACLU claims that the when the carriers don't update software it constitutes deceptive and unfair business practices subject to review by the FTC under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission ACT. In other words
"if the mobile carriers are not going to provide important security updates, the FTC should at a minimum force them to provide device refunds to consumers and allow consumers to terminate their contracts without penalty so that they can switch to a provider who will."