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Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

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Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#21

FWIW, Verizon does extensive internal testing of OS updates. When I was there, as an engineer, we would be given phones, and anytime there was a new update, we would receive the updates first, use it daily for a couple of weeks, and report what we found. There were multiple tiers of internal user trials before the updates were greenlit, and there were many potential OS updates that never made it to public because of…

Do they do the same for Apple devices ?

I don't remember what we did for Apple devices, but I'm pretty sure they (Apple) had complete control over the update framework, including the updates themselves.

EDIT: edited for clarity

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#22

FWIW, Verizon does extensive internal testing of OS updates. When I was there, as an engineer, we would be given phones, and anytime there was a new update, we would receive the updates first, use it daily for a couple of weeks, and report what we found. There were multiple tiers of internal user trials before the updates were greenlit, and there were many potential OS updates that never made it to public because of…

Do they do the same for Apple devices ?

not op but I will say no, because Apple pushes the update by themselves.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#23

FWIW, Verizon does extensive internal testing of OS updates. When I was there, as an engineer, we would be given phones, and anytime there was a new update, we would receive the updates first, use it daily for a couple of weeks, and report what we found. There were multiple tiers of internal user trials before the updates were greenlit, and there were many potential OS updates that never made it to public because of…

Do they do the same for Apple devices ?

not op but I will say no, because Apple pushes the update by themselves.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#24

FWIW, Verizon does extensive internal testing of OS updates. When I was there, as an engineer, we would be given phones, and anytime there was a new update, we would receive the updates first, use it daily for a couple of weeks, and report what we found. There were multiple tiers of internal user trials before the updates were greenlit, and there were many potential OS updates that never made it to public because of…

Do they do the same for Apple devices ?

FWIW, Apple apparently has a "Verizon team" (this was leaked in a Slack vulnerability). Presumably Apple works somewhat directly with Verizon on meeting their testing requirements for simultaneous release.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#25
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But I thought buying from Verizon would cost less, because of the contract. Am I right? My point is people who will buy phone for 50$ (for example for two year contract) from Verizon will get direct update from Apple (which improves overall health of the its ecosystem), but pixel ones don't. I think this is shortcoming. So if you want fast updates like iPhone, you have to buy noncontract from Google itself. Do you se…

It used to be the case that you'd get the phone subsidized by your service plan from Verizon, but not any longer. Verizon and the other major US carriers stopped subsidizing phones in the past few years. For me the biggest reason I wanted to buy through Verizon was they were offering a promotional $200 trade in value for my Note 4. For some people selling their phone separately would be a better deal though, so even…

Thank you, my information was outdated.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#26

FWIW, Verizon does extensive internal testing of OS updates. When I was there, as an engineer, we would be given phones, and anytime there was a new update, we would receive the updates first, use it daily for a couple of weeks, and report what we found. There were multiple tiers of internal user trials before the updates were greenlit, and there were many potential OS updates that never made it to public because of…

This is fair, and a big reason I'm okay with update delays at Verizon. I trust them to block me from shoddy builds made by "fail often" companies like Google. As a business professional, I appreciate that Verizon demands reliability. ...However, people buying the Pixel are expecting direct control from Google, as part of the deal. Verizon might benefit from taking a page from Motorola or Microsoft's book though: Allo…

I hear you, and appreciate where you are coming from. I will say that Verizon cares a lot about its brand and about perceived quality. I believe that's why they try to maintain as much control over the "change" process as possible, because they see themselves as the ones on the hook when the quality of the experience is sub par.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they do the same for Apple devices ?

I don't remember what we did for Apple devices, but I'm pretty sure they (Apple) had complete control over the update framework, including the updates themselves. EDIT: edited for clarity

Why is that personally I feel it is so that they can put all the carrier bloatware into the Android roms. I like that here in Singapore carriers are not allowed by law to lock phones to their networks or put uninstallable bloatware. So carriers can put the bloatware in but I can get rid of it easily as not in the system rom and we are allowed to sell the device that we get thorough contracts.

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't remember what we did for Apple devices, but I'm pretty sure they (Apple) had complete control over the update framework, including the updates themselves. EDIT: edited for clarity

Why is that personally I feel it is so that they can put all the carrier bloatware into the Android roms. I like that here in Singapore carriers are not allowed by law to lock phones to their networks or put uninstallable bloatware. So carriers can put the bloatware in but I can get rid of it easily as not in the system rom and we are allowed to sell the device that we get thorough contracts.

Apple had more negotiating power than any other cell phone manufacturer had in the past. The first iPhone that supported the Verizon network was the iPhone 4. At that point it had already been proven to be wildly successful, and it was one of the few things that people could knock Verizon about (aside from price). I'm pretty sure Apple held all the cards in the negotiations to get the iPhone 4 on the Verizon network.

Contrast that with every Android OS based manufacturer: 1) The majority of them were companies that had been working with cellular providers for years already. They probably already had agreements in place with providers about how things would go (bloatware, extensive testing, etc.). 2) They were competing with each other for market share because the OS wasn't a differentiating factor (their bloatware/cosmetic overhauls were weak attempts to establish software differentiation). 3) Verizon made a big investment in Android with the Droid line, providing marketing, branding, etc. Any other manufacturers that were building Android phones had to compete with these devices and had to market on their own. Verizon had all of the cards.

It's slowly changing, but it boils down to: 1) Manufacturers trying to compete (they often add plenty of their own bloatware) 2) Verizon using a model they're familiar with from the feature phone era and manufacturers being used to the carriers having control

Re: Verizon will control Android updates for Google Pixel phones it sells

#30
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But I thought buying from Verizon would cost less, because of the contract. Am I right? My point is people who will buy phone for 50$ (for example for two year contract) from Verizon will get direct update from Apple (which improves overall health of the its ecosystem), but pixel ones don't. I think this is shortcoming. So if you want fast updates like iPhone, you have to buy noncontract from Google itself. Do you se…

It used to be the case that you'd get the phone subsidized by your service plan from Verizon, but not any longer. Verizon and the other major US carriers stopped subsidizing phones in the past few years. For me the biggest reason I wanted to buy through Verizon was they were offering a promotional $200 trade in value for my Note 4. For some people selling their phone separately would be a better deal though, so even…

Verizon and the other major US carriers stopped subsidizing phones in the past few years.

Except that Verizon just started subsidies again last month: https://www.verizonwireless.com/deals-landing/ Only they disguise it somewhat.

Not sure if that shows up properly. But in September an iPhone 6 was "worth" $650 as a trade-in. As of yesterday it was still worth $650. Today it seems to be $100 less:

   Trade in and get iPhone 7 for $99.99.
   Get up to $550 savings.
It's clearly a subsidy because an iPhone 6 isn't worth anywhere near $650 (or even $550) on the open market. Heck, I had an old iPhone 5C lying around that, last month, Verizon gave me $400 credit for toward an iPhone 7.

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck ...

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