My phone app has been a bit buggy recently. On drilling down in the app, attached is what Google are telling me. How on earth can a phone app go out of date?? Anyway, what app do I need to download to get the phone working again. It's not that old and runs Android 10. I just need something very basic, store a few favourites and have a speaker function.

What phone do you have?

Running Android 10 indicates that it is an older phone, since Android 10 was introduced in September 2019 and security updates were discontinued in 2022. Android is currently at version 16. This means that Android 10 is quite old by today’s standards.

You can continue using the standard phone app or install any dialer app you prefer. There are literally dozens of these apps available. Which one to use depends on your personal preferences, so I suggest trying a few. However, since this is an older Android version, it is highly likely that many of these apps may not work correctly or may not be supported at all.

Using this phone is fine for calling and basic usage, but without recent OS security updates, I strongly advise against using it for online banking or any activity involving personal or confidential information.

5 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

Using this phone is fine for calling and basic usage, but without recent OS security updates, I strongly advise against using it for online banking or any activity involving personal or confidential information.

This is concerning as my phone is also Android 10 I think.  The banking apps still get updated regularly.  Do they not provide enough of their own security?

I'm a complete phone dummy so can't offer specific help, I'm afraid.

We're experiencing similar with various apps on our old phones, particularly email apps, and getting "no longer supported" or "cannot be updated" messages.

Basically we need to update our phones. I'm holding off if I can until we get 5G in our area before biting the bullet, to delay hitting the obsolescence barrier as far into the future as I can.

https://www.howtogeek.com/345250/whats-the-latest-version-of-android/

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Do they not provide enough of their own security?

My vote No as it's the operating system that can be attacked?
I don't like it but upgrade at reasonable cost is necessary (I also vote Motorola G75 as it is supported for longer than others)
"Keep up with the latest version of Android by getting five OS upgrades—and six years of security updates—guaranteed through 2029."
https://www.motorola.com/gb/en/p/phones/moto-g/75-5g/pmipmhd39mi?pn=PB3Y0000GB

That is a strange message. I also have the preinstalled Google Dialler App on my Android 9 phone and have not had that message.

8 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

This is concerning as my phone is also Android 10 I think.  The banking apps still get updated regularly.  Do they not provide enough of their own security?

Even if your banking apps are updated, using Android 10 (or any phone no longer receiving security updates) is still risky. Outdated OS versions can have unpatched vulnerabilities that malware can exploit, and apps rely on the system for encryption and secure storage.

To stay safer: use multi-factor authentication, keep apps updated, and consider using a newer device for banking. App updates help, but they can’t fully compensate for an insecure OS.

13 minutes ago, Shearers said:

My vote No as it's the operating system that can be attacked?
I don't like it but upgrade at reasonable cost is necessary (I also vote Motorola G75 as it is supported for longer than others)
"Keep up with the latest version of Android by getting five OS upgrades—and six years of security updates—guaranteed through 2029."
https://www.motorola.com/gb/en/p/phones/moto-g/75-5g/pmipmhd39mi?pn=PB3Y0000GB

It's nothing to do with the cost in my case.  I've spent about £800 on new phones over the past 5 years but just can't adapt to them due to vision issues, so I'm stuck with this one from 2018 unless my vision issues miraculously disappear.  So many apps no longer work on it and it is incredibly laggy now.  Last time I rebooted it, it took over 3 hours to come back on, so I'm never risking switching it off again.

I generally use a laptop instead, but the two-factor authentication means I have to use the phone in order to access anything secure on the laptop, and that causes vision issues trying to swap between the two screens, so it's just easier to use my phone alone for banking apps.  I know there will come a time when the banking apps no longer work on it at all.  Just have to keep hoping I go before they do!

I hate 'tech' this just reinforces why. Most normal folk (not early adopters) just want something that works, not having to update hardware all the time. But then you're speaking to a guy who runs windows 7 on his laptop and is perfectly happy with it's functionality. (It's been upgraded with a healthy SSD and updated RAM, more than sufficient for my needs. We all don't need the latest flashiest rubbish others crave... Oh, my 20 year old car also works well with regular maintenance!

The thought of changing phones fulls me with terror, as I have no idea how to transfer all my apps/passwords over to a new one!

If I do download a new phone app/dialler, do all my phone numbers & contacts automatically attach themselves to it?

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

... one from 2018 unless my vision issues miraculously disappear.

 

Forgive me for teaching 'granny to suck eggs', but does your phone have an 'accessibility' setting section? I had issues reading the texts on my phone but was able to enlarge the font using this setting. I found it very useful...

2 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Forgive me for teaching 'granny to suck eggs', but does your phone have an 'accessibility' setting section? I had issues reading the texts on my phone but was able to enlarge the font using this setting. I found it very useful...

The issue isn't font size in my case.  Unfortunately I don't know what the issue actually is.  Contrast?  Refresh rate?  Aspect ratio?  It's been incredibly debilitating as it means I haven't been able to use anything new with a screen for the last 5+ years.  It's one of the reasons I had to stop driving as well.  Even for the older things like this phone, laptop & TV, I can only use in short bursts and only when there aren't other sensory inputs at the same time (bright sun, loud noise etc).  Basically feels like the back of my head is being squeezed in a vice, just gets worse and worse the longer I try it, increasing nausea and eventually triggering vertigo.

I did try to have an eye test back in 2019 but that wasn't particularly successful.  They said my vision was ok but I have an astigmatism.  Was given glasses for it but I couldn't adapt to those for the same reasons!  I can't believe all of this is caused by astigmatism though, it's a fairly common thing, yet this set of symptoms obviously isn't common.

The great irony of this is that now I'm stuck indoors in a small flat constantly, I can't avoid screens as I need to use them to get rid of at least some of the hours of a day, every day.  

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

...They said my vision was ok but I have an astigmatism.  Was given glasses for it but I couldn't adapt to those for the same reasons!

I also have an astigmatism, and have had for decades. For me, glasses have also been a quick and easy fix. I have none of the further symptoms you seem to have, that's just awful it's causing you so much grief....

You still haven't answered the 1st question. 😉

4 hours ago, StephenFord said:

I hate 'tech' this just reinforces why. Most normal folk (not early adopters) just want something that works, not having to update hardware all the time. But then you're speaking to a guy who runs windows 7 on his laptop and is perfectly happy with it's functionality. (It's been upgraded with a healthy SSD and updated RAM, more than sufficient for my needs. We all don't need the latest flashiest rubbish others crave...

Why would you still use Windows 7? 

The fact that it is fast and matches your needs does not mean that it is also safe.

Microsoft stopped supplying security updates for Windows 7 almost 6 Years ago. Since then, the Windows 7 OS is vulnerable for viruses, ransomware, malware, and hacking exploits.

Many software (like browsers or antivirus software) will still work on Windows 7 but offers limited or even no protection. 

Windows 7 is a major security risk on any computer that is connected to the internet. Even web browsing is risky. let alone internet banking or storing confidential data. Therefore a Windows 7 computer should no longer be connected to the internet.


If you do not want to upgrade to Windows 11, you should consider Linux (for example Ubuntu). This will run perfectly on your computer and is a lot safer.

 

4 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Oh, my 20 year old car also works well with regular maintenance!

That 20 Year old car does not connect to the internet. 
 

14 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

Why would you still use Windows 7?

Because it works, and I know how to use it.

The same way I have a 16 year old TV. I can easily afford a new one, but my current 42" LG works perfectly, runs my FireStick and SkyHD system, why would I want to change. Some of us don't want to waste our time constantly on a learning curve on how to use new tech. 25+ years ago I use to be an early adopter, bought a PalmT3 on day of release (which I stlll have and still works), updated all the time till I realised the futility of it all. Just because something is new, doesn't mean it's better. Indeed MS proved that when they released that piece of sh*t, Windows 8 (then Vista).

In the same way that 1000s are now returning to vinyl, after flirting with CDs & downloads...

I know many enjoy working out how to use new software, it holds no interest for me, and I tried Linux once many years ago, I hadn't the spare brain power to use it properly...

16 hours ago, StephenFord said:

It's not that old and runs Android 10.

You have my sympathy. Until around Easter last year I was very happy using my Sony Xperia (compact) running android version 8. Sadly it became like a cascade of falling dominoes once the first few apps stopped working (Royal Mail Tracking was the first), it became almost a weekly event as yet another one was discontinued.

All I wanted was a small 'compact' mobile, no need for lots of bells and whistles, but that proved to be impossible to find. The best of a bad job that I could find was the Motorola Edge which uses android 15. It has taken me more than 6 months to get the phone configured to my liking, and even now it is unable to do some of the things the old Xperia could.

 

On 1/10/2026 at 11:06 PM, StephenFord said:

How on earth can a phone app go out of date?

My guess would be that it's been automatically updating in the background. The same probably applies to Roger's experience. The obvious way to avoid this, if possible, is to set the apps to notify when updates are available but not do so automatically.

My Samsung is on Android 14. It keeps telling me to update but I'm refusing further updates because, after accepting a number of them previously, on the last occasion it required me to log into a Samsung account before it would allow me back in. I didn't have an account and didn't want one. I can't cancel the account now it's been set up but I know if I don't access it for two years it will be automatically deleted so that's why I'm now refusing updates.

No doubt there are those who will ask why I don't want an account. That's my choice and I strongly object to being forced to get one as a condition of using and updating my phone. This will quite likely influence my choice of phones in the future.

As a matter of principle I don't have banking apps or any others requiring sensitive information on my phone. If fact I severely limit the number of additional apps I install over and above the ones that it came with.