A Dutch consumer group called Consumentenbond (Dutch Consumers' Association) has filed a lawsuit against Korean OEM Samsung for what it says is the company's failure to provide adequate information about Android updates, security vulnerabilities or the software updates themselves. According to the group, Samsung is involved in unfair trade practices.
DCA director, Bart Combee, claims that consumers are not properly informed on how long they will be provided with software updates upon buying Samsung Android devices reports Techworm. He says that his group is demanding that Samsung provide its users clearer information regarding update expectancy. In addition, DCA wants Samsung to disclose certain vulnerabilities to consumers that can affect their unit's security such as the infamous vulnerability called Starlght which was discovered in July 2015.
More importantly, the consumer agency demands Samsung to provide regular updates to its handsets according to Techtimes. DCA claims that Samsung has not provided a single upgrade on the latest Android version to the at least 82 percent of its phones released in The Netherlands in the span of two years. The agency claims that this failure of Samsung leaves the devices more vulnerable to security issues among others.
Samsung is notorious for not releasing the latest available Android updates to its users. The consumer agency's main focus is that users should regularly receive updates that may significantly improve their devices' security and performance. Contrary to what others are thinking, the DCA move is not just about getting the newest and most advanced Android system version.
To be fair however, the DCA acknowledges the fact that other manufacturers have been guilty of the same practice reports Digital Trends. Since Samsung has 80% of the Dutch smartphone market however, Samsung is being singled out in the lawsuit.
"The Consumentenbond is focusing on Samsung first because Samsung is the undisputed market leader in Android phones in the Netherlands. However, other manufacturers are also failing to provide proper updates for their devices," says DCA.
Talks between DCA and OEM Samsung in December fell through and left with very little or no choice, the agency has moved forward with the lawsuit to get the desired results.The Consumentenbond is said to have half a million members. It was formed to uphold and improve the rights of every Dutch consumer.
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