Android: 80-85% there to making versions worthless

[Michael Goff]

With the inclusion of the launcher as an app, the new one that is going to be in 4.4 as the main, I started to think about how this is obviously another step in their plot to take the need for major version updates out. Why should somebody care if they don't get version 5.0 Lollipop if everything gets updated in 4.4? But there are obviously still some things that are missing from this vision. These are mostly things that I don't think are apps in the store yet.

-Dial app
-Contacts
-Camera
- Non Gmail mail application

Those are the three that are off the top of my head. If you can think of anything major that I'm missing, then please tell me. I would have out the browser on there, but they're pushing Chrome as much as they can as quickly as they can. I can only hope it works better on your device than it does on a Galaxy Nexus.

 

[spinedoc77]

With the inclusion of the launcher as an app, the new one that is going to be in 4.4 as the main, I started to think about how this is obviously another step in their plot to take the need for major version updates out. Why should somebody care if they don't get version 5.0 Lollipop if everything gets updated in 4.4? But there are obviously still some things that are missing from this vision. These are mostly things that I don't think are apps in the store yet.

-Dial app
-Contacts
-Camera
- Non Gmail mail application

Those are the three that are off the top of my head. If you can think of anything major that I'm missing, then please tell me. I would have out the browser on there, but they're pushing Chrome as much as they can as quickly as they can. I can only hope it works better on your device than it does on a Galaxy Nexus.

I thought the launcher was going to have everything, dialer etc? I don't know if I ever read that somewhere, or if I just assumed it though.

 

[Michael Goff]

I thought the launcher was going to have everything, dialer etc? I don't know if I ever read that somewhere, or if I just assumed it though.

I downloaded it via the leak, and I still have 4.3 dialer and normal email. I can't say for certain about the other two, to be honest, because I don't know what the new ones look like (the contacts and gallery). I just know that there's a Gallery.apk that I can't get to install that's from the new one. There's a dialer one and a contacts one that apparently people can't get to work.

 

[zbarvian]

I think this is a naive way of looking at it. An operating system is so much more than its stock apps, and many behind-the-scenes technologies and development tools play a huge role in security, performance, and compatibility. It's still a bleak situation for third parties.

 

[Technarchy]

With the inclusion of the launcher as an app, the new one that is going to be in 4.4 as the main, I started to think about how this is obviously another step in their plot to take the need for major version updates out. Why should somebody care if they don't get version 5.0 Lollipop if everything gets updated in 4.4? But there are obviously still some things that are missing from this vision. These are mostly things that I don't think are apps in the store yet.

-Dial app
-Contacts
-Camera
- Non Gmail mail application

Those are the three that are off the top of my head. If you can think of anything major that I'm missing, then please tell me. I would have out the browser on there, but they're pushing Chrome as much as they can as quickly as they can. I can only hope it works better on your device than it does on a Galaxy Nexus.

Take into account all the things new that are under the hood of android with every revision.

This is akin to saying being on Windows Vista is great because you can buy Office 2013. No thanks.

OS updates are now and will always to be a core critical to the user experience and OS capability and performance.

 

[sentinelsx]

Take into account all the things new that are under the hood of android with every revision.

This is akin to saying being on Windows Vista is great because you can buy Office 2013. No thanks.

OS updates are now and will always to be a core critical to the user experience and OS capability and performance.

Well put.

I guess no one went and read kitkat features on Google's official kitkat developers page. It lists software stuff new and exclusive to Nexus 5 which may not be as glorious as a 3300mah battery, but those APIs and kernel enhancements are going to be amazing.

 

[Michael Goff]

Take into account all the things new that are under the hood of android with every revision.

This is akin to saying being on Windows Vista is great because you can buy Office 2013. No thanks.

OS updates are now and will always to be a core critical to the user experience and OS capability and performance.

Android 4.3 performance is already amazing. It is already capable of so many amazing things. I don't see any major benefit to lusting after the next "big update" when Google has made it clear that they're not able to really do many big updates. Maybe worthless was a bad term, but we're getting to a point where it won't kill people if they have to wait longer periods of time between getting the updates because 80-85% of what matters is being updated anyway.

 

[dgree03]

Take into account all the things new that are under the hood of android with every revision.

This is akin to saying being on Windows Vista is great because you can buy Office 2013. No thanks.

OS updates are now and will always to be a core critical to the user experience and OS capability and performance.

Except office 2013 is not even a core function of windows. Desktop OS'es just are not setup the same way. Take osx and iOS.. iOS includes core functions that can't be uninstalled like the mail app, calendar etc... Where as OSX, a lot of bundled applications can be uninstalled or updated outside of an OSX update ...

Not the same..

 

[Technarchy]

Android 4.3 performance is already amazing. It is already capable of so many amazing things. I don't see any major benefit to lusting after the next "big update" when Google has made it clear that they're not able to really do many big updates. Maybe worthless was a bad term, but we're getting to a point where it won't kill people if they have to wait longer periods of time between getting the updates because 80-85% of what matters is being updated anyway.

This sounds a bit like Stockholm syndrome justification where 9 times out a 10 you know your device will be bereft of updates anyway therefore it's good thing.

However consider life on android without advancements like Project Butter and Trim, but hey at least you can get SMS in hangouts. No thanks. I'll pass. I'd rather have a device with access to the new full screen app tools.

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Except office 2013 is not even a core function of windows. Desktop OS'es just are not setup the same way. Take osx and iOS.. iOS includes core functions that can't be uninstalled like the mail app, calendar etc... Where as OSX, a lot of bundled applications can be uninstalled or updated outside of an OSX update ...

Not the same..

What your saying is not really relevant to the point, and definitely misses the point.

 

[Michael Goff]

This sounds a bit like Stockholm syndrome justification where 9 times out a 10 you know your device will be bereft of updates anyway therefore it's good thing.

However consider life on android without advancements like Project Butter and Trim, but hey at least you can get SMS in hangouts. No thanks. I'll pass. I'd rather have a device with access to the new full screen app tools.

You're missing my point.

I have 4.3 Jelly Bean. Beyond that, it's pretty much not going to be getting that many performance updates. Seriously, I think you're entirely missing the point. It might be on purpose, but it might just be because you're missing the point. Once Android becomes more modular, like it is already, then it will just be system level changes. We'll get bug fixes for the UI, every single piece of the OS that isn't system level, and so forth.

I didn't say they were worthless today, though they're certainly worth less than they were a couple years back. Imagine going from... 4.2 to 4.3. There are some good improvements, sure. Now imagine going from 2.3 to 4.0, that huge change. Or how about 2.2 to 2.3. Try to start thinking outside the box instead of "my phone is now worthless because I'm not getting 4.5 or 5.0 or whatever number they choose".

It's not Stockholm Syndrome, it's smart programming. Google has recognized that carriers are stupid and care holding back their progress, and they're making sure that 95% of changes will be coming to anyone anyway. Or at least they're working to eventually make sure that 95% of the changes will be coming to everyone anyway.

 

[Technarchy]

You're missing my point.

I have 4.3 Jelly Bean. Beyond that, it's pretty much not going to be getting that many performance updates. Seriously, I think you're entirely missing the point. It might be on purpose, but it might just be because you're missing the point. Once Android becomes more modular, like it is already, then it will just be system level changes. We'll get bug fixes for the UI, every single piece of the OS that isn't system level, and so forth.

I didn't say they were worthless today, though they're certainly worth less than they were a couple years back. Imagine going from... 4.2 to 4.3. There are some good improvements, sure. Now imagine going from 2.3 to 4.0, that huge change. Or how about 2.2 to 2.3. Try to start thinking outside the box instead of "my phone is now worthless because I'm not getting 4.5 or 5.0 or whatever number they choose".

It's not Stockholm Syndrome, it's smart programming. Google has recognized that carriers are stupid and care holding back their progress, and they're making sure that 95% of changes will be coming to anyone anyway. Or at least they're working to eventually make sure that 95% of the changes will be coming to everyone anyway.

When going from 4.2 to 4.3 you get Trim, Support for OpenGL ES 3.0, Bluetooth Low and Energy and lord knows what else. This is one revision. From a myopic perspective the jelly bean revisions are minor, but under the hood there is a lot going on that increases android usability and performance. Never mind the fixes to security vulnerabilities and bugs.

Apps will never supplement OS updates even if the app access level is similar between devices. It works for Google to decouple apps from the OS because they are an internet services company and they want a wide net to catch the most fish, but those apps would hit a ceiling fast without OS updates and improvements.

And we'll see if your theory holds true when 5.0 drops. I doubt you'll be indifferent if your device is overlooked.

 

[Michael Goff]

When going from 4.2 to 4.3 you get Trim, Support for OpenGL ES 3.0, Bluetooth Low and Energy and lord knows what else. This is one revision. From a myopic perspective the jelly bean revisions are minor, but under the hood there is a lot going on that increases android usability and performance. Never mind the fixes to security vulnerabilities and bugs.

Apps will never supplement OS updates even if the app access level is similar between devices. It works for Google to decouple apps from the OS because they are an internet services company and they want a wide net to catch the most fish, but those apps would hit a ceiling fast without OS updates and improvements.

And we'll see if your theory holds true when 5.0 drops. I doubt you'll be indifferent if your device is overlooked.

My device is already overlooked in 4.4, and I couldn't care less at this point. Would it be great to have it? Sure would. Am I going to rage because Google decided my phone is too old? Of course not.

But continue to make assumptions about me, it's hilarious.

 

[jsw]

This sounds a bit like Stockholm syndrome justification where 9 times out a 10 you know your device will be bereft of updates anyway therefore it's good thing.

However consider life on android without advancements like Project Butter and Trim, but hey at least you can get SMS in hangouts. No thanks. I'll pass. I'd rather have a device with access to the new full screen app tools.

Of course you'd rather have a device with 100% of the complete feature set. The point, though, is that, unlike before, and absolutely unlike iOS, you can get a large number of the features and apps without an OS upgrade, which is an extraordinarily nice thing for those who have carrier-locked and/or antiquated devices. You cannot get it all, but you can get a very significant portion of the "new stuff" even on older devices.

Carriers will lock things down for the foreseeable future. Hardware will always become outdated and/or unsupportable. This approach allows for users with such devices to still participate to the extent possible, whereas before they were stuck with what they had.

Once the new devices are on Kit Kat, which Google made an effort to make runnable on even the lowest end hardware made today, I think we'll see, from then on, that most devices will be able to use most new features for a much longer period of time. For now, they're doing what they can.

 

[Technarchy]

My device is already overlooked in 4.4, and I couldn't care less at this point. Would it be great to have it? Sure would. Am I going to rage because Google decided my phone is too old? Of course not.

But continue to make assumptions about me, it's hilarious.

Rock on then.

I'll continue to hold Google and their hardware partners accountable and expect OS updates. Googles own literature show there are tangible benefits even for something as “minor'' as 4.4

 

[Schicksal]

Android 4.3 performance is already amazing. It is already capable of so many amazing things. I don't see any major benefit to lusting after the next "big update" when Google has made it clear that they're not able to really do many big updates. Maybe worthless was a bad term, but we're getting to a point where it won't kill people if they have to wait longer periods of time between getting the updates because 80-85% of what matters is being updated anyway.

Yeah, I said the same thing about OS 8.1 in 1998... new features and capabilities have a way of turning statements like that around before long.

 

[Michael Goff]

Yeah, I said the same thing about OS 8.1 in 1998... new features and capabilities have a way of turning statements like that around before long.

I'll be the first to admit if I'm wrong. I don't want to be wrong, though, since Google can't force updates.

 

[jsw]

Rock on then.

I'll continue to hold Google and their hardware partners accountable and expect OS updates. Googles own literature show there are tangible benefits even for something as “minor'' as 4.4

Of course there are benefits to getting the full new OS, although that chart is intentionally misleading with the baseline set to 0.7 instead of 0.0, and it's questionable as to how much perceived speed up occurs as opposed to what can be measured in benchmarks.

That doesn't mean that there aren't benefits to getting most of the core apps even without the OS upgrade, and regardless of whether you hold them accountable, they aren't going to maintain full upgradability across a long tail of releases. It takes too much effort with too little ROI.

 

[Dontazemebro]

Rock on then.

I'll continue to hold Google and their hardware partners accountable and expect OS updates. Googles own literature show there are tangible benefits even for something as “minor'' as 4.4


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Don't you actually have to own an android device before you can hold them accountable.

 

[sentinelsx]

Android 4.3 performance is already amazing. It is already capable of so many amazing things. I don't see any major benefit to lusting after the next "big update" when Google has made it clear that they're not able to really do many big updates. Maybe worthless was a bad term, but we're getting to a point where it won't kill people if they have to wait longer periods of time between getting the updates because 80-85% of what matters is being updated anyway.

For once, the granular control over location settings in the 4.4 makes me want it. On 4.3 location apps like Google services hammer my battery hard, and I am glad they are acknowledging it with 4.4. Its a start.

And that alone makes me lust for the update. Not to mention all the rest too.

 

[Michael Goff]

For once, the granular control over location settings in the 4.4 makes me want it. On 4.3 location apps like Google services hammer my battery hard, and I am glad they are acknowledging it with 4.4. Its a start.

And that alone makes me lust for the update. Not to mention all the rest too.

Oh? So being able to have granular control will help battery life?

 

[Technarchy]

Don't you actually have to own an android device before you can hold them accountable.

I'm typing this on a Nexus 7. That work for you?

 

[Dontazemebro]

I'm typing this on a Nexus 7. That work for you?

Calm down narchy, just a little tongue in cheek

 

[sentinelsx]

Oh? So being able to have granular control will help battery life?

Yeah. Why wouldn't it help?

There is a "battery saving" mode in location now. Of course its supposed to reduce those crazy wakelocks...

I think someone is just trying to justify them being stuck on older firmware. Wow.

 

[Michael Goff]

Yeah. Why wouldn't it help?

There is a "battery saving" mode in location now. Of course its supposed to reduce those crazy wakelocks...

I think someone is just trying to justify them being stuck on older firmware. Wow.

No, I wasn't trying to "justify" anything. I was trying to figure out how it will help. There's a huge difference between being ignorant of something and trying to justify something.

 

[Stuntman06]

Rock on then.

I'll continue to hold Google and their hardware partners accountable and expect OS updates. Googles own literature show there are tangible benefits even for something as “minor'' as 4.4


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I don't quite understand the histogram. The text on the left side says, "% Improvement Relative to Android 4.3." So, does this mean Android 4.4 has a roughly 1.3% improvement over 4.3? However, it doesn't make sense that Android 4.3 has a 1% improvement over Android 4.3. Something is amiss here.