Google apps no longer functional on select smartphones: See if your device is on the list

Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps will soon stop working on a number of smartphones. Read on to know if your device will be affected by this, too.Google app ban on select phonesGoogle has revealed that individuals using smartphones running Android 2.3 aka Gingerbread or older will no longer be able to access Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps on their devices. This has already come into effect from 27 September.[caption id="attachment_7569601" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: tech2/Abhijit Dey.[/caption]Hence, if your smartphone runs Android version 2.3.7 or older, you won't be able to sign into the aforementioned Google apps. If you try to sign in, Google will return an error and will continue to do so until the device is updated. For the uninitiated, these Google apps require users to sign in to their Google accounts to easily access them, as well as their app history.Google, in a previous statement, said, "As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our users safe, Google will no longer allow sign-in on Android devices that run Android 2.3.7 or lower starting 27 September, 2021. If you sign in to your device after 27 September, you may get username or password errors when you try to use Google products and services like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps".While people can still access these apps on older phones via the in-built browser, they won't be able to enjoy the app-specific features. Therefore, it would make more sense for them to upgrade their devices.Such users can update the Android OS on their phone by updating the software (accessed via the Settings menu) on their smartphone. In case the smartphone no longer supports an updated version of Android, it would be best for them to switch to a newer smartphone.One thing worth noting is this change won't affect a lot of users, as not many still use a phone with a 10-year-old Android OS.