I disagree on point #3. Lollipop 5.0.1 was a disaster in terms of battery and smoothness. And some phones are still stuck on 5.0.1 and haven't even been updated to 5.1.1, ruining the android experience for a lot of people.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why don't Google force Android updates?
- Thread starter Mildredop
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I disagree on point #3. Lollipop 5.0.1 was a disaster in terms of battery and smoothness. And some phones are still stuck on 5.0.1 and haven't even been updated to 5.1.1, ruining the android experience for a lot of people.
In a sense yes, it wouldn't be Nutella because it would be that person's own spin on it.
This is why Amazon is running its own version of android and does not have the google apps. Google tries to control how you use/modify, roll out Anadoid with its license to the google apps and services.
I think there's more it and that while the core of Android has been updated by google, there's a lot that manufacturers and carriers need to do to make a given phone work.
I disagree, Apple rolls out a major update every year and a handful of minor updates throughout the year. My experience with Android has been that I have to wait several months after google releases the major update, and I'm lucky to see one or two minor updates.
It's usually contained in a bigger update, but that doesn't mean they can't.
I never said that Nexus users should wait. I'm just saying that Google should release the code to OEMs a few weeks earlier than usual. Let's say that they release it a month earlier. If the process takes the same time, consumers would get the update a month earlier than they would. What would be the problem with that?
Google releases the code when it's ready. That likely means that the Nexus devices will get updated factory images (notice I didn't say OTA as those will come later) within a couple days of the final code commits for the new version. Since Google tests the OS against its Nexus devices (as evidenced by beta versions being available only for those devices), it's only reasonable that the final builds are available much quicker for those devices. In short, if it's ready to release to the OEMs, it's ready to release to Nexus owners.
I feel like it would be a waste of time for an OEM to start building against a beta version, things can change in the final build and break all that work they did. However I DO believe that they'd be foolish to NOT have their teams working on new features or even testing bare versions of the OS against their hardware before adding the skins and other changes.
I think part of the reason Apple updates its OS once a year is because it makes for great marketing, especially when released in tandem with the new iPhone. When you look at the advertisements for the latest iPhone 6S, you will notice that some of the advertised features are actually software features, or at least, interplay of hardware and software.
It makes the consumer feel great that they are suddenly getting a whole host of new features at one go, rather than have features trickle piecemeal to them gradually over the entire year.
Conversely, Google can't really boast the same thing because they have problems getting their updates to their own Nexus devices on day 1 as is, much less convince their hardware partners to update their devices in a timely fashion.
I feel that each company has settled on their respective update strategies because that's what works best for them, given their respective constraints and business models.
It makes the consumer feel great that they are suddenly getting a whole host of new features at one go, rather than have features trickle piecemeal to them gradually over the entire year.
Conversely, Google can't really boast the same thing because they have problems getting their updates to their own Nexus devices on day 1 as is, much less convince their hardware partners to update their devices in a timely fashion.
I feel that each company has settled on their respective update strategies because that's what works best for them, given their respective constraints and business models.
Apple doesn't update any of the stock software in anything but system updates though. Google on the other hand updates pretty much everything but the system itself periodically, typically every month or so. So even if you're not running the latest OS you'll still be running the latest version of Chrome etc.
I do wish OEMs changed the process. I know that the carriers over here have absolutely no say in what goes on the ROMs as for example Samsung just has a "nordic countries" version (which doesn't actually seem to have any real differences as it worked no different from 3rd party ROMs based on US/UK versions) and many smaller brands just have a single ROM for everything. I would rather they let people download the ROM at their own risk if they don't want to wait for a carrier approved OTA update. When I was using the Galaxy S4 there were constantly new 3rd party ROMs getting updated immediately when any newer version leaked.
There is a way this could be in control of Google. It would work if ...
1. All OEM software was separate and worked on top of stock android.
So Samsung for example would have its TW Launcher and apps all separate and updatable via PlayStore whilst the base is essentially completely stock.
2. This would mean the manufacturers Launcher app would need to be reconfigured to include the extra GUI settings and elements that are not available in the stock settings.
3. But by keeping the base utterly stock version of Android - it's possible to update it shortly after Google pushes nexus devices updates out and manufacturer simply updates their own launcher and stock apps via the PlayStore.
Otherwise it's never going to happen.
1. All OEM software was separate and worked on top of stock android.
So Samsung for example would have its TW Launcher and apps all separate and updatable via PlayStore whilst the base is essentially completely stock.
2. This would mean the manufacturers Launcher app would need to be reconfigured to include the extra GUI settings and elements that are not available in the stock settings.
3. But by keeping the base utterly stock version of Android - it's possible to update it shortly after Google pushes nexus devices updates out and manufacturer simply updates their own launcher and stock apps via the PlayStore.
Otherwise it's never going to happen.
This. Android and iOS update quite differently.
As for iOS updates, while older devices might get the newer OS version number, they often get few of the primary updated features.
An original iPad running the most recent iOS is crippled in comparison to a latest iPhone with it.
I believe one of the reasons Android doesn't come directly from Google is planned obsolence – just a different approach. At some point manufacturer no longer releases new versions of the software. While I've rooted my devices to install new versions found on XDA forums, most people will be 1) too scared, 2) not techie enough to do so. My old LG tablet only got a 5.0.2 tablet, and with 8 GB storage you could hardly install any aps on it. I manually updated it to 5.1.1 with minimal set of Google apps, and hey presto, insane battery life, enough space for basic apps (not all of course, 8 GB is kinda limiting). LG themselves didn't release 5.1.1 though although they obviously could. Buy a new tablet if you want updates!
Personally for me, I don't care. I prefer the original software on the phone it came with. My gf has Lollipop 5.1 and I bet all she hears in her head is Cher's voice ~If I Could Turn Back Time~. That means she misses KitKat. I actually find vanilla Android to be bland but the smoothest and lag-free. Some of the Marshmallow updates I already seen on MIUI like permission settings.
Another new Android update, another year we won't see it in several phones until the next 6-10 months. By then, the next update is ready for release. Sucks I know. Get used to it. Sometimes software updating isn't worth it. You want some newer features only for it to break compatibility with your apps or add a ton of bugs.
Have a wait and see appoach because once you update, you might start hearing Cher's voice again.
Another new Android update, another year we won't see it in several phones until the next 6-10 months. By then, the next update is ready for release. Sucks I know. Get used to it. Sometimes software updating isn't worth it. You want some newer features only for it to break compatibility with your apps or add a ton of bugs.
Have a wait and see appoach because once you update, you might start hearing Cher's voice again.
Generally speaking, this is the wrong approach. You want the latest for safety purposes. Every once in a while you hit a bad build, but that doesn't usually happen.
No. Contrary what some people seem to believe, Google effectively "owns" Android. For a start, Google owns the Android trademark which means that no one else is allowed to market an "Android Nutella". Google is also the entity in charge of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and every modification to the project's source code has to be approved by them, which means that the development is entirely under Google's control. Google can also at any time revoke or change the licence for the AOSP, but of course not retroactively for the code already released. Crucially, the AOSP is not even the complete Android, it misses a lot of the proprietary code that Google and OEMs add themselves, such as Google Play Services, Google apps, drivers, OEM skins and so forth. The final software that people have on their phones is to a large extent proprietary.
However, anyone could fork the AOSP as long as the licence remains permissive. This is what Amazon did. They took AOSP, added their own drivers, skin and applications to it. But they are not allowed to call it Android and they don't have any control over the AOSP. Moreover, given that Google has increasingly diverted resources away from the AOSP and into its own Google products, notably Google Play Services and the Google Play Store, the development of the open-source parts is hampered, making it much less attractive for anyone else to fork the project. Without Google's approval, you don't get the Google Play Store and you don't get the Google Play Services layer that enables a lot of features in apps.
To turn to the OP's question: Google may "own" Android, but Android is incomplete. It lacks drivers for the great variety of hardware that is out there. These drivers are in turn proprietary again and owned by hardware manufactures. Moreover, Google has barely a foothold in the smartphone market. Even the Nexus devices are not Google's, they are the result of a much closer cooperating with certain OEMs. Google has effectively no control over the hardware, it's entirely dependent on licensing agreements and other contracts. This combined with the powers carriers have in some countries makes Google very vulnerable and it's position of power is fragile if push comes to shove.
You really can't compare this to Apple. Apple controls every step of the process. They make separate deals with manufacturers of the individual components, they have deals with companies who assemble the phones, they design some of the hardware and industrial processes themselves, they write the software, including drivers, they provide the App Store. Apple has reached its strength on its own and still carefully controls everything. Google has never had that ambition, presumably because they were caught off guard when Apple showed the iPhone. In fact, even Android was not a project of their own, it was a takeover. Google needed to build Android rapidly and needed all the support it could get. It's now paying the price for that.
Last edited:
Fantastic analysis. It really gives you a look into why the rumors Google is interested in developing its own chips good be true. Google's control of even Nexus devices is minimal compared to what Apple can do with iOS.
Actually I just want security updates especially on lower end stuff. I flashed Lollipop on my tablet from 2012 and it ran like my iPhone 4 did on iOS7 so I flashed KK on it and everything is good.
I wonder if they will one day change the model whereby they take more control and manufacturers almost pitch to Google to make a certain handset?
Allegedly Google and Samsung will team up to work on the new touch wiz for the s7.
Interesting if true.
Interesting if true.
I saw that too. Would be very interesting if Samsung could get some pointers from Google on optimizing TW.
Can i be first to call shenannigans
we've heard it a million times before and right around this time frame every year gearing for the new year hype on the next Samsung flagship. We all would like to believe it; however .... we don't live in a world where there are real disney endings
This feels like a no brainer for Google and Samsung. Google's expertise should help streamline touchwiz while the innovations Samsung half-bakes into touchwiz could find its way into the pure Nexus Android experience.
Can i be first to call shenannigans
Really? I've never heard of them collaborating like this for specifically touchwiz.
Interesting.
In any case, hope some of this is true.
Now THAT would be nice to see! One of the drawbacks of stock Android is its lack of features. If Sammy and Google could collaborate and exchange ideas....what a win win that would be for all of us.