Android upgrade on my elderly Sopny tablet?

[CBJ]

Being shrewd and careful you could be fine indefinitely on out of date OS; its not like as soon as the support stops you're immediately compromised - and keeping it bang up to date doesn't mean you won't get compromised either!

Obviously security is the primary concern, but app compatibility is also a factor. Just before the start of the first lockdown in March last year, I finally caved in and replaced my ancient phone that was stuck on Android 4.1 because it seemed likely that, with the restrictions about to be imposed, I might start needing to be able to use my phone for some things I'd previously have done by other means. Very few useful apps would run on my dinosaur of a phone. As things turned out, I've not needed to use Android apps as much as I thought I might, but having the comfort of a phone that isn't a security risk just by existing still makes the replacement worthwhile... and we won't go into the physical risk associated with the bulging battery I found inside the old phone when I took the back off it.

[pjknibbs]

Obviously security is the primary concern, but app compatibility is also a factor.

Quite. I remember playing Starpoint Gemini 2 a few years ago, and I had to install a special patch because I was still running Windows Vista (which was still a supported OS at the time, to be fair to me here!) and they'd written it for Windows 7; somehow, that made it incompatible with the previously released OS.

[greypanther]

Yes I had considered a small laptop to be a viable alternative, will probably go down that route, if I need to be mobile. However today, I realised for the Astronomy related needs, I have an oldish Windows 10 desktop, sat there doing nothing, which if I think about it, would more than suffice, if I set it up in my shed. Should be very doable.

I feel I am already shrewd, ( or maybe just tight! ) have avoided any software virus etc, completely for the entire time of owning a PC or phone. May that long continue!

@Chips: Where can you find out how long a phone will be supported please? I have looked but failed to find that information. Perhaps I just buy cheap rubbish when it come to what I consider a basic need. I do not need to surf the internet on my phone, just make calls and texts mostly, you know?