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So instead of a new phone, I got me a used MyTouch 4G on Amazon. I was thrilled to get it but when I researched more, I saw that the last upgrade is Gingerbread, 2.3.4. I saw that most phones are still on Gingerbread according to this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Android_chart.png. According to Wikipedia, theoretically all phones running Gingerbread are capable of running Ice Cream Sandwich. Now, I know that it takes a lot of R&D for a phone's firmware to be released, but shouldn't device manufacturers think of that instead of releasing phones every week? Why are they mostly on Gingerbread if the latest firmware is now Jelly Bean, or Ice Cream Sandwich? |
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The reason is on your image, HTC Sense. That is the manufacturers own twist, own tweaks and modifications to the install. To give you a newer version of the OS they would need to make those same modifications each time. On the few phones which remain on the default, the standard version of the OS the updates are much quicker, if not immediate upon release. The Google Nexus phones are such an example. Right, I understand that but look at the HTC Sensation, it's updated to ICS with HTC Sense, why not this one? I know about Cyanogenmod and whatever, but look at all of those instructions to just downgrade the firmware. http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/HTC_Glacier:_Full_Update_Guide Because it is older. Fact is, want an Android phone with updates, go Nexus. This phone is a total beast, that's why I got it. If I wanted a nexus, I'd be basically guaranteed only 2-3 updates like tbe iPhone. Fact of the matter is, manufacturers come out with too many phones, too quickly. Even if you were right and the Nexus lineup of devices only received 2-3 updates the fact is that because of how open they are (source code, unlocked bootloader etc.) they have the largest communities and will always get the most features, unofficial updates .etc So let's say that you buy a Galaxy Nexus, and let's just say you're right and it only gets 2-3 updates. You literally have hundreds of others to choose from simply because of the community support and that it's open source. That's the advantage of android. And No Fragmentation isn't going to kill it. It's one of the many reason people choose Android. The only time it's a downside is when you either 1. Cheap out and buy something worth $20 or 2.Have a need to update and are unable to because of both the manufacturer and the community or lack thereof. Right, right, I get you completely. Nexus is the way to go for constant updates, but not all of us can get a Nexus like that. They shouldn't forget about the others. 1
I agree with you 100% Personally, I didn't get a Nexus because I didn't feel that the hardware would be enough for me. With Google's new push for longer and better manufacturer support I hope that that changes. Thinking about it, I should've saved up more for an factory unlocked S3 in blue.
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If the phone company or HTC wants to release android 4.0 or 4.1, they could have a stable release out in a few weeks. The issue is they do not have an incentive to do it when they have other models that they would like to push people into buying. You have groups like cyanogenmod releasing android 4.0 for many devices, (without access to much of the source code or drivers) and they are still pushing out releases before the company that made the device can. currently for your phone, there is a alpha version of android 4.0 so if you need a reliable phone I recommend not getting it yet. usually when the open source community gets a hold of more driver source code, they are usually able to push out a RC build in about 2 weeks, and then do nightly releases where they fix minor bugs and optimize the ROM for more performance. (eg overclocking the CPU, Bus speed, RAM speed, and GPU, and in some cases, also overclock the L2 cache If you have access to your own devices, it is easy to update the OS. for example many chinese tablets (never buy them... ever!) will have stable builds of the latest versions of the android OS within a week or so, and that is because android it's self is designed to be easily modified to allow companies to make it compatible with their hardware. after the nexus 7, the china tablet makers were the fastest to bring a android 4.1 device to market, and that is due to it not being hard when you have access to all source code. (Was using android 4.0 on my HTC mytouch 3G slide and it ran smooth but unstably (randomly get issues such as reboot loops, and it had no audio or camera support.) 1
Yeah, I see your point on not having an incentive. I know I have access to Cyanogenmod to put this on 4.0, or even a higher version of Gingerbread, but as I pointed to @EnvoyOfTheEnd, look at the steps for my phone to even get to the flashing of Cyanogenmod. yep, it is a very annoying process, but the site makes it seem more complex than it really is by detailing the steps that are more or less guided in the install process. But the cyanogenmod team really needs to come up with an automated tool. they have released some for other devices (eg the HP touchpad which has a similarly complex install process but is reduced to a single batch file that does all of the work for you. if a specific setup process can be done for multiple of the same model devices using the same instructions, then that process can be automated. I wish it was simpler like the Sensation, that was a very easy thing to root and install Cyanogenmod. |
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Its because of Android skins, tweaks, carrier control, and cost that doesn't update phones. You want to have an up-to-date Android phone? Go Nexus. Anything else, and you're doing it wrong. And don't blame Google as they really have no control over this, it is what happens when you release an Open Source product... They really should have a grip on this. If I were Google, I'd say all updates to phones must be made in the same month when the Nexus's firmware was released. That's just an absurd time frame. I would rather have a good performing OS then a half baked one that had to get past testing in a month. There's a lot of changes done to Android by the OEMs. Those can't just happen in a month, not to mention all of the changes from the versions of Android. Ice Cream Sandwich was a huge change in code for Android. It was practically rewritten. That's why CyanogenMod Team had such a hard time recoding and getting a stable release out for CM9. Jelly Bean is an improvement on Ice Cream Sandwich, so it shouldn't be as cumbersome, but Project Butter has a significant amount of code changes as well, which could complicate things. The problem is OEMs want to differentiate themselves from each other. So they modify the code of Android. There's also the carriers... That's a whole other argument. Android, being open source, can never be like what you want, and can't be like Apple. That's why, if you want the latest updates, you go Nexus. I really have no idea why tech savvy people don't understand that sometimes... Maybe not a month, 3 months I'd say is the max. I mean as @Razor512 said, the companies DO have the power to push out an OS in a matter of weeks of the release. Plus, Android phones come out almost every week. If they really wanted to separate themselves from others, they should stop releasing phones every week and focus on the phones that might sell the most for example the S III, instead of the phone with a projector in the back that probably no one would buy for that novelty. |
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fragmentation will eventually kill the popularity of Android... They really do need to sort this out! ' what some view as a problem others see as an advantage, and yet others don't even relize or notice at all.. how come when it comes to android this type of fragmentation it get beat donw but this type of fragmentation exists in window and most never notic heck there is a large percentage of people who could careless about updates and up grade what they have works thats all they care about .. .. I care because there are some apps I can't run like Chrome or the Time Warner Cable app (to watch TV). This fragmentation is a big deal because hey, the manufactures should think about this before releasing phones that no one needs. Crappy phones for metroPCS, and Virgin Mobile, some are still on Froyo. FROYO! In 2012! Come on now. The fragmentation in the Windows world is no where near as big as it is on the Android platform... Each new version Windows generally supports hardware from at least 5 years of its release (or there abouts)... Each version of Android supports very few models from no more than 6 months or so after release. In the US, its alot to do with the carriers... I understand that... however here in Europe where its the manufacturers that control the updates, not the carriers, its pathetic seeing an older phone that cannot be upgraded, even though its perfectly capable! I am not saying the Apple way is perfect, however supporting the hardware for at least 2 major releases is IMO an perfectly acceptable way of doing things. These "crappy phones" give people a viable option to get into smartphones at a cheap, affordable rate. Just because they aren't as good as the high end phones, doesn't mean people won't want them... Who said they are crappy? I understand the fact that some of the phones are cheap, but that is still NO excuse in not being able to update them! The problem is that people are willing to spend 200+ for an iPhone, then they go to Android and spend $20 and expect it to be the best hardware ever with the best manufacturer support ever. And it isn't technically Google's fault. Google gives the Android Source out to manufacturers all the time. It is a problem of the manufacturers not wanting to spend all of the money and time to update the phones. Individual modders have gotten JellyBean running on phones that shipped with 2.0. So it;s obviously not a lack of hardware anyway. Some of those low ranged Android phones are straight crap. For example, who's going to use a smartphone with a 1-2inch display, with 2008 guts? Plus for the price of that phone, you can get a mid-ranged Android used. Have you seen how much the Virgin iPhone 4S runs for? I know they're a prepaid carrier but still.
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Android has one of the worst update systems I have ever seen. They need to have all phones upgraded with the same version at the same time. Unfortunately manufactures like to put their own overlays and skins on which makes this near impossible. I agree, they have to follow on the lines of iOS or Windows Phone for updates. I like HTC sense sure, The only thing keeping me from upgrading is the clock. I love that HTC clock. Those skins and overlays differentiate the different manufacturers from each other... If you don't like it, you got the Nexus. I don't know why people don't get the Android system... The reason iOS and WP works is because either once company controls the entire experience (Apple) or the software developer makes strict requirements on hardware vendors (Microsoft). Android is open, so they can literally do anything to it, which increases the time for updates. Like I have always said and will keep saying, Nexus is the equivalent to a WP, and its the only ones that get timely updates since it is Google's experience, what Android should be. Right, but I'm not complaining that I'm on Gingerbread. I wish all followed Google's ideals and do stock. I have the HTC One X but I will be going back to iOS next time around. I ran away from iOS, not because I had a 3G, but what it's become. Too many people have iOS, so I moved to a platform that's not as prevalent like iOS and that's Android. Best move I ever made. I moved to Android after all the hype. I went for the best at the time but I miss iOS. The App Store lacks the quality that Apple's has. The customisation is there but not without loosing battery life or speed. To me it feels like it's still in beta. Most things are good but nothing is perfect. The interface is not as sleek as iOS and irregular software updates annoy me. I am not saying Android is bad, it's good but iOS feels like a finalised and perfected product, Android does not. Many view Apples control over their products as a bad thing but it's one of the best things about them! I will never look back on having an iPhone. This move to Android was the best thing I did in a while. I know the Play Store isn't as robust as the App Store, and we get the major apps later, but I still like it. I moved because too many people have iPhones and it just made me feel like a sheep having an iPhone.
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most aren't even gingerbread ;L I believe its due to the manufacturers, because they quiet often customize the theme to the system to some what match the company's branding and they simply can't keep updating the theme on the latest version for the reasons of : 1. Too many phones 2. Android is updated so frequently and would most likely be updated again before they would have put the themes on all of their phones. :) |
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They should make some agreement that you simply DO NOT put themes on the phone #PureGoogleAndroid then the manufacturer there self offer a service where they update the phone for the people that don't know how, this would work out very well for the company because they could earn even more cash. I would say google but unless its nexus the consumer prob won't know what google have to do with the phone and that they are the ones who make the program. |
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fragmentation will eventually kill the popularity of Android... They really do need to sort this out! ' |
