Today’s release of the Android 1.5-laden Dell Aero might be the most recent (and egregious) example of a manufacturer gimping its product’s operating system, but it’s a problem that affects nearly every phone release these days.
It’s a rough landscape for mobile phone shoppers, who’ve faced four major releases with four different firmwares in just the last couple of months: Droid X launched with Android 2.1, Droid 2 followed with Froyo, while Dell Streak had Android 1.6 along for the ride. And today, Aero.
And that’s to say nothing of the capriciousness of updates: typically, when a company releases a handset running a musty Android version it promises that it’ll bestow the new hotness on the device at some point. But when that update comes – short of various hacks – is totally beyond the consumer’s control. And in some cases, as with the Samsung Behold II, you’re stuck forever with an outmoded jumble of a mobile OS.
So here’s the plan. Hardware manufacturers, once a new firmware is released, stop churning out old phones and get what’s already on the market updated ASAP. Stop putting crazy skins on top of Android that do more harm than good and slow the update process. And – especially when an Android update has been in the open for a few months already already – take the time to incorporate the latest and greatest firmware onto your handsets so that your customers know exactly what they’re getting. It’s time to get serious about hardware/software synchronicity.
What do you think? How much does firmware freshness factor in when you’re deciding which phone to buy?
Imagery by Sam Spratt. Check out Sam’s portfolio and become a fan of his Facebook Artist’s Page.
Damien
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 9:28 AMI have an HTC HD2 running Mattc’s HD2Froyo, and I couldn’t be happier. I like that the user community has stepped up to make Android fall more in line with Google’s vision for it – an open source platform for mobile devices. Verizon (by way of Motorola) certainly crapped all over that ideal, and ATT sees Android as something of an afterthought. Sprint and T-Mobile seem to be the only people serious about Android, but even then HTC steps in and slaps Sense all over everything. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
Thepengwin
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 10:16 AMEven though sense is there, HTC, in my opinion, is doing an alright job keeping their phones up to date.
And you can always disable sense :)
Vern Norrgard
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 12:36 PMWhat’s worse is having a HTC that is less than 12 months old and can never be updated, still on 1.6 with my HTC recurring Dream
Ash
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 2:52 PMI have a HTC G1 from Launch in australia (2 years old in Jan) and I’ve been running Cyanogen Rom since Optus took their sweet ass time releasing 1.6.
Now running 2.2 (still in RC, but getting close to stable release) and 614mHz processor speed, it’s bought new life to my phone
Andy
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 12:43 PMI wont buy a phone running anything less than 2.1. I have the HERO and was so close to upgrading as it took them too long to get the update, i got it with the intention of getting the update within a month, 4-6 months later still no update.
going from 1.5 to 2.1 was huge and basically made it a new phone. having 1.5 on the phone even limits the apps that you can download, i think min firmware for most apps is 1.6 but i think there are a few that need 2.1
Steve Hewitt
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 6:42 PMI fairly recently got an xperia x10, which is 1.6 and I love it. Whilst there is very little that I wish it will do, I am annoyed that it’s not the newest version. Sony have promised an update soon, but what concerns me more, is that i’ve heard that 3 and vodafone will NOT support any software updates for this model.
which is beyond a joke.
Nait Dogg
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 10:31 PMI think Google is at fault in this whole mess.
Why keep releasing relatively minor updates within a small timeframe? Would it not be better to release updates less often, with more meaningful updates and to dictate to manufactures which versions get the stamp of approval? I feel Google is shooting it’s self in the foot by letting manufacturers do what they want.