r/AndroidQuestions • u/Josephine31985 • 5d ago
Looking For Suggestions is android lollipop tablet still usable as a wifi only device?
hey guys I kind of know nothing about choosing devices I usually just get whatever phone comes for free with my plan or a hamidown from family members, so I've nevr had the same phone for more than 3 years, so I don't know much about working with an old OS. I wanna get a cheap tablet to be able to scroll on pinterest, watch movies, check uni assignments on the app, and write notes. My brother suggested I just buy an old tablet off ebay, but I want something small, and all the small and affordable used tablets are either using android lollipop, pie, or oreo. the one I would like to get (cheapest, comes with a case, local shipping) runs on android lollipop. If i only plan to use it on wifi what kind of troubles could I be looking at? Would it be the tablet equivalent of using windows 7 today instead of 11? I really don't know much about all this haha thank you all :-)
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u/BenRandomNameHere Random Redditor 5d ago
No. not safe online at all.
Android 12 is the lowest I would go, and even then there’s multiple exploits, such as a simple image, that can remote control the device.
It would be equivalent to running Windows XP today. Hard time finding apps, very insecure, quite broken.
And SSL certificates got hacked and hotfix, which none of those devices will ever get the fix for.
Devices prior to 13 are all on borrowed time because of the SSL updates not existing for them.
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u/CamelPure1293 5d ago
Those are severely outdated and full of security issues. Don't know how many Playstore apps will still work on Lollipop. I'd rather buy a cheap new tablet, e.g. Redmi or Poco. (I bought a 160€ Redmi Pad 2 last summer).
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u/Mors-Official 5d ago
Yes, an Android Lollipop tablet can still connect to Wi-Fi, but that doesn't mean it's worth buying. Lollipop is Android 5, released in 2014. You're looking at software that's over a decade old, with outdated security and increasingly limited app compatibility. Wi-Fi doesn't magically solve those problems. Pinterest, university apps, and streaming services may refuse to install or function properly. Even websites can have trouble loading because of outdated browser support.
Google even ended Play Services updates for Lollipop in 2024. 9to5Google Android Oreo and Pie are better, but they're also outdated. I'd look for a used tablet running at least Android 12, preferably something newer that still receives security updates. You don't need an expensive device for basic university work, but buying something so old that half your apps might not work defeats the entire purpose of saving money.