Changes in mObywatel. The application will not work on some smartphones

The Ministry of Digitization issued an announcement regarding the mObywatel application, a popular tool for smartphones. With the new update, the software will no longer work on devices running older Android systems. This decision is mainly for safety reasons, as explained in detail.

Changes regarding the mObywatel application

The mObywatel application, used by many Poles, will no longer be available on devices with Android 7 or older. The change comes into force with update number 4.46. From now on, the application will only work on smartphones with Android 8 or higher and iOS 15 or higher.

However, the Ministry of Digitization ensures that:
“The vast majority of users – those who use devices with Android 8 and higher or iOS 15 and higher – will not feel this change and will use the mObywatel application exactly as before.”

Main reasons for abandoning support for older systems

The decision to end support for older Android systems is based on three key aspects:

1. Security – Older versions of Android no longer receive security patches, increasing the risk of hacking attacks.

2. Optimization of work on the application – The creators emphasize that abandoning older systems will allow them to focus on developing and improving the application for most users.

3. Better application performance – New operating systems ensure smoother application performance, which translates into a better user experience.

Marginal impact on users

According to the Ministry’s data, only a small percentage of application users use devices with Android 7 or older:
“We work every day to maintain and develop applications for millions of users, of whom only a marginal number (less than one tenth of a percent) use devices with Android 7. Withdrawing support for the older system will allow us to optimize our work and devote more time to application development for the vast majority of users.

The Ministry of Digitization encourages users of older smartphones to update their operating systems, if possible. He emphasizes that this action will not only enable the use of mObywatel, but will also significantly increase the security of devices in the context of cyber threats.