CHASE UK APP

Susrida

I want to open an account with Chase so I can take advantage of their savings account with a generous 1.5% interest rate.  I have just installed the app on my android phone and when I try to open it, I get a mesage: "Please update Android.  Sorry, our app can only be used on Android 8.0 and above".  I checked for updates in my phone settings (that I have set to automatic updates) and it says my current version is WAS-LX1A 8.0.0.394 (C432) and there are no updates.  I see the latest Android version is 12, which leads me to ask two questions:

1. Why does my phone not update to version 12?

2. Even allowing for the fact I still have version 8, why does the Chase app not open?

Thanks for any help and / or advice.

eskbanker

The info published on their site indicates that the (Android version of the) Chase app will only work on Android 8.1 or above, so 8.0 isn't sufficient, and old phones may not be upgradable to a compatible version.

There has been plenty of discussion on threads such as:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6349221/phones-that-are-compatible-with-the-chase-app/p1

masonic

It's the device manufacturer that is responsible for pushing out Android updates, and their policy for doing so varies by manufacturer. It is unusual to receive updates for a period longer than 2 years. The Chase app requires features only available in later releases of the operating system. It also requires a 64-bit version of the OS, presumably as it is relying on hardware-based cryptography instructions that only work in 64-bit.

WAS-LX1A 8.0.0.394 (C432) refers to a firmware patch for a Huawei P10 Lite phone, which originally ran Android 7 and was released in March 2017, so it looks like the update to Android 8.0 was the end of the line for this phone in terms of updates.

Susrida

Many thanks for your helpful reply, Masonic.  It looks as if I will not be opening an account with Chase because the cost of a new phone will eat up all the extra interest I would have earned on my money!

Susrida

Thanks also to eskbanker, and also for the link.

Molehusband

Susrida said:

1. Why does my phone not update to version 12?

Updating of the Android system is not automatic and depends on the device manufacturer. So I suspect your manufacturer is not updating Android for you.

400ixl

You shouldn't really be putting any financial applications on a version of Android that old, it is no longer getting security patches.

Bigwheels1111

Do you have an iPad, as work fine with it.

Susrida

Yes I do, Bigwheels1111, but it is older than my phone!

RG2015

Susrida said:

Yes I do, Bigwheels1111, but it is older than my phone!

There's no harm in trying. My old (2015) iPad is fine for Chase UK.

phillw

Susrida said:

1. Why does my phone not update to version 12?

2. Even allowing for the fact I still have version 8, why does the Chase app not open?

Thanks for any help and / or advice.

As has been mentioned, Android is not like other operating systems. There is not a single version that is installed on every phone. 

Instead companies that make the chips used in the phones will take a copy of the source code from google and hack around with it, supply it to the manufacturer who will also hack around with it and finally push it out. Once you have bought the phone they get no more money from you, so most of the time the manufacturers will maybe put out one or two updates if you are lucky. At that point the phone is three years old and they want you to buy a new one.

"Project Treble" was supposed to improve the situation, google claim that it would reduce the amount of effort required by the manufacturers to update android for your old phone by three months. But not all phones supported it & there is still some effort regardless.

FYI Huawei announced Android 9 would be made available for your phone, but then went quiet.

Some phones can have the "bootloader" unlocked, which allows you to install operating systems that weren't provided by the manufacturer. Then you can download versions of android that have instead been hacked around with by people on the internet that have the same phone as you. For example: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-10-lineageos-17-1-for-huawei-p10-lite.4064115/ would give you Android 10

Unfortunately some banking apps don't like you running Android versions that you didn't get from your manufacturer and will refuse to run. I haven't had a problem with Chase UK app, but Paypal has just decided it isn't going to run anymore. JAJA & Coop haven't run in ages.

Another option if you can't run software on your phone is software that runs on a PC but allows you to run Android software. There are a few different ones, but banking apps are trying to detect these as well & so you might have to try various ones. I found a version of Bluestacks that works.

If all this sounds ridiculously complicated, then you can buy a sub £100 android phone and sell your current one.