Google Maps, Gmail, and YouTube are now blocked on certain phones due to a new update, Google has confirmed.
The applications are among the most widely used in the world, but people who have older phones may find themselves unable to access them.
This is because the tech corporation launched an update on Monday to prevent phones running the Android 2.3 operating system from running the apps.
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It did this for safety reasons, as older operating systems are far more vulnerable to being bugged or hacked - putting millions of users at risk of having their data stolen.
Because the new update only affects phones running Android, iPhone users will not be affected.
Those who do have a device which runs Android 2.3 will need to either update or upgrade to a new phone - or face never accessing Google's apps again.
It follows an announcement from Google that it was halting support for the operating system - which was launched back in December 2010, as reported by the Daily Record.
The decision was made because older operating systems are much more susceptible to being hacked - putting apps like Gmail and YouTube at risk for millions of users.
Google said the huge update is "part of our going efforts to keep our users safe".
Millions of phones will be locked out of YouTube, Google Play Store, Google Maps, Gmail and Google Calendar.
This includes:
- Sony Xperia Advance
- Lenovo K800
- Sony Xperia Go
- Vodafone Smart II
- Samsung Galaxy S2
- Sony Xperia P
- LG Spectrum
- Sony Xperia S
- LG Prada 3.0
- HTC Velocity
- HTC Evo 4G
- Motorola Fire
- Motorola XT532
It comes amid reports WhatsApp will also stop working on a swathe of Android and Apple devices later this year.
From November 1, 2021 WhatsApp will remove support for a number of Samsung, LG, Huawei and Apple handsets which could potentially stop millions of users accessing messages, photos, and videos from friends, family and work colleagues.
Google says: "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 September 27, 2021."
