If you’re using Android 2.3.7 or lower, you’ll be losing access to apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps starting September 27.
Google has announced that, in the name of safety, devices using the older operating system will no longer be able to sign in to some apps. So it’s advising that, if your device uses Android 2.3.7 or older, you should update to Android 3.0 or higher if you’re able.
On and after September 27, you’ll likely receive a user name/password error when you attempt to log in or make new accounts for some Google apps. Google also states that you’ll receive the error if you perform a factory reset and try to log back in, change your password, create an account, or remove and re-add your account.
It’s unclear if you can delay the error via never signing out, but even if that’s possible most apps and services require you to log back in eventually.
While upgrading to Android 3.0+ is the simplest solution, it isn’t an option for everyone.
If you’re unable or unwilling to download a newer Android OS, Google does have an alternative, stating “…you can try to log into your Google account on your device’s web browser. You can still use some Google services when logged into Google on your device’s web browser.” The “you can try” phrasing makes it sound like this may not work for every service, though.
If you think your device might be affected by this change, you can check what version of Android OS you’re using to make sure.
If it is running Android 2.3.7 or older, you’ve got until September 27 to upgrade to 3.0+ or come up with another way around the login issues.
Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day
