Hey guys, just thought I would share my experiences with the Android platform and how I have moved from liking Android to despising it. Maybe this will help anyone on the fence.
So in 2010 Apple released the iPhone 4 and Android was hitting around version 2.2
I had never owned a smartphone, just had a basic Nokia dumbphone. The iPhone 4 was all the rage but I was wary of Apple phones as my experience with the Apple brand was limited to my iPad 1. My trainee at work at just gotten himself a Nexus One which I had a play with, and quite liked. After a quick bit of searching I learnt about the HTC Desire. As far as I could tell it was one of HTC's flagship phones. I liked the look of it, so I went and got one on a 2 year contract.
For the first few weeks I loved it. It was my first smartphone and I saw no reason to want an iPhone 4 which at the time was going through antenna issues, reports were coming out of it breaking easily due to being glass etc, and I felt totally happy with my purchase.
Before long however I learned that my phone can wifi tether. I searched everywhere in the settings for it but couldn't find it.
Turns out, my phone was on Android 2.1 Eclair. Wifi Tethering was a feature added in 2.2 Froyo.
Not to worry, I will just update it I thought.
Wrong.
Which begins my first major issue with Android.
Although I bought my phone well after the release of 2.2 Froyo, it still came with 2.1.
Worse yet, the 2.2 update was not available for my phone. Why? Well because of fragmentation.
You see, to get an update to my phones software it has to go through several steps. First, Google must release the Android update. Second, HTC must get that update and add in their custom skin (Sense) and make sure it works. Then, they release that update to the phone carriers, who THEN have to modify the update to make sure it includes their carrier bloatware and BS.
So for an update to be released, it has to goto Google, then to the handset maker, then to the carrier. Which is a BIG problem. Why? Because by the time it gets to the carrier, they are busy selling the latest phone. They don't care at all about spending time on an update to a phone they have already made their money on. It literally means nothing to them.
As it was, the 2.2 update came for my phone some 5 months after 2.2 was released. And that was the only update my phone has ever received.
I always hear people moaning about Apple dropping support for older devices. Spare a thought for those on Android.
The HTC One V has a 1ghz Single core CPU. My Desire is a 1ghz Snapdragon.
The HTC Desire has slightly MORE RAM than the One V. Yet the One V runs Android 4.03
Why am I still on 2.2?
ios6 is available for the iPhone 4 (and 3gs as well I think?)
You see my issue?
So to me, who is due for a new phone, I have ordered an iphone 5.
I'm sure the Galaxy S3 is a great phone. To me thats not the issue. To me the problem is that early next year the S4 will come out and the S3 will be totally forgotten about, never updated and left in the cold.
This isn't even touching on the whole Android App store.
Now I have voiced my complaints about Android to some of my Android loving friends. "Just root your phone" they say. One friend has an S2 and says rooting it was the best thing he ever did to it.
Sure I could root it. But thats so ANTI user friendliness I find it laughable. I should not have to root my phone just to get updates or remove carrier bloatware.
The sheer number of models of all shapes and sizes running Android is killing it in my opinion. A new update comes out and HTC or Samsung or LG or whatever have to look at their DOZENS of models they have released over the last 12-18 months and decide what ones they will support the update on. It may be that all those models could technically run the update, but theres no way they will bother.
Which doesn't exactly endear the customer. If you have a phone thats 18 months old and are still receiving updates to the OS, you at least have that feeling that the company cares about you in some way. At least thats how it would be for me.
Anyway.....my iphone 5 should arrive today. Goodbye Android, and thanks for leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
So in 2010 Apple released the iPhone 4 and Android was hitting around version 2.2
I had never owned a smartphone, just had a basic Nokia dumbphone. The iPhone 4 was all the rage but I was wary of Apple phones as my experience with the Apple brand was limited to my iPad 1. My trainee at work at just gotten himself a Nexus One which I had a play with, and quite liked. After a quick bit of searching I learnt about the HTC Desire. As far as I could tell it was one of HTC's flagship phones. I liked the look of it, so I went and got one on a 2 year contract.
For the first few weeks I loved it. It was my first smartphone and I saw no reason to want an iPhone 4 which at the time was going through antenna issues, reports were coming out of it breaking easily due to being glass etc, and I felt totally happy with my purchase.
Before long however I learned that my phone can wifi tether. I searched everywhere in the settings for it but couldn't find it.
Turns out, my phone was on Android 2.1 Eclair. Wifi Tethering was a feature added in 2.2 Froyo.
Not to worry, I will just update it I thought.
Wrong.
Which begins my first major issue with Android.
Although I bought my phone well after the release of 2.2 Froyo, it still came with 2.1.
Worse yet, the 2.2 update was not available for my phone. Why? Well because of fragmentation.
You see, to get an update to my phones software it has to go through several steps. First, Google must release the Android update. Second, HTC must get that update and add in their custom skin (Sense) and make sure it works. Then, they release that update to the phone carriers, who THEN have to modify the update to make sure it includes their carrier bloatware and BS.
So for an update to be released, it has to goto Google, then to the handset maker, then to the carrier. Which is a BIG problem. Why? Because by the time it gets to the carrier, they are busy selling the latest phone. They don't care at all about spending time on an update to a phone they have already made their money on. It literally means nothing to them.
As it was, the 2.2 update came for my phone some 5 months after 2.2 was released. And that was the only update my phone has ever received.
I always hear people moaning about Apple dropping support for older devices. Spare a thought for those on Android.
The HTC One V has a 1ghz Single core CPU. My Desire is a 1ghz Snapdragon.
The HTC Desire has slightly MORE RAM than the One V. Yet the One V runs Android 4.03
Why am I still on 2.2?
ios6 is available for the iPhone 4 (and 3gs as well I think?)
You see my issue?
So to me, who is due for a new phone, I have ordered an iphone 5.
I'm sure the Galaxy S3 is a great phone. To me thats not the issue. To me the problem is that early next year the S4 will come out and the S3 will be totally forgotten about, never updated and left in the cold.
This isn't even touching on the whole Android App store.
Now I have voiced my complaints about Android to some of my Android loving friends. "Just root your phone" they say. One friend has an S2 and says rooting it was the best thing he ever did to it.
Sure I could root it. But thats so ANTI user friendliness I find it laughable. I should not have to root my phone just to get updates or remove carrier bloatware.
The sheer number of models of all shapes and sizes running Android is killing it in my opinion. A new update comes out and HTC or Samsung or LG or whatever have to look at their DOZENS of models they have released over the last 12-18 months and decide what ones they will support the update on. It may be that all those models could technically run the update, but theres no way they will bother.
Which doesn't exactly endear the customer. If you have a phone thats 18 months old and are still receiving updates to the OS, you at least have that feeling that the company cares about you in some way. At least thats how it would be for me.
Anyway.....my iphone 5 should arrive today. Goodbye Android, and thanks for leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
