Comments on: The overblown Android update issue

By: Murky outlook for Android’s update pact « The Orange View

Murky outlook for Android’s update pact « The Orange View — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:57:05 +0000

[...] phone vendors offering software updates for their devices has been one of platform's weaknesses, overblown as it may be by Apple fans. Back in May, Google tried to address the problem by getting handset makers and carriers to agree [...]

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:59:15 +0000

I don’t think it’s an honest effort, it’s just an infographic troll.

Just one example, the color-coding is dependant on the device having the “most recent version”, yet iOS gets updated roughly yearly, and Android updated every 6 months on average.

Google and Apple have different approaches to things, you can compare them without some understanding of both e.g. Apple has a developer program where programmers run the next version of iOS for months before release. Google on the other hand has “developer phones” which cost more than other phones and aren’t as easy to buy but let you run the next version of the OS first. Why choose to start the clock ticking from Apple’s launch to consumers, but not Google’s launch to consumers?

I’m not sure someone could put that much effort into the chart and not realise that they were slanting the data.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:38:05 +0000

Something to point out (which I missed the first time I saw this) is that it is missing quite a few newer handsets – such as the Samsung Galaxy range.

At a guess, probably deliberately left out because it would weaken the argument. Not to mention the sort of thing that wouldn’t help getting it mentioned on Gruber’s or Marco’s blog.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:01:44 +0000

Name any other device that you initially spend about $200 on, and then in the course of the next two years spend about $50 per month on for a total of $1400, and in which you can expect zero support from the manufacturer (that’s HTC / Motorola / … or from the provider Verizon / AT&T / …)

Much as I like Android, Degusta is right on the money with his criticisms.

As consumers we expect more support from car manufacturers, software suppliers, home appliance manufacturers, cable providers, EVERYONE.

By: Lucian Armasu

Lucian Armasu — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:49:41 +0000

I agree with you on all counts, but I think this negative publicity right now will do Android good in the long term. Google announced the Android Update Alliance at I/O this year, without giving any specifics or showing any plans, and they didn’t say anything about it at the Android 4.0 event either. I’m starting to think the manufacturers are starting to backtrack from that “18 months update plan for all Android phones” (made by the 5 big manufacturers).

So that infographic will be a good reminder to them that they need to become more serious about this. I’m hoping Android 4.0 will make it easier for them to upgrade the devices, because I’ve noticed Honeycomb tablets get updated pretty quickly, although that may be just because it’s stock version.