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Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

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Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#21

Post by rcarmo »

Aaargh20318 wrote: post #7
inetknght wrote: post #2

Update adoption is getting slower because people (or perhaps just me) are frustrated with updates removing/changing functionality, making the device slower, or causing additional bugs beyond whatever was "fixed". That's on top of the fact that my carrier refuses to stay on top of updates for my device anyway.

> the fact that my carrier refuses to stay on top of updates for my device anyway. I don't get why the carrier has to be involved at all. It has nothing to do with them at all so why do they even get a say in when a phone gets an update ?

As someone who spent the better part of two decades at a carrier (I joined as an acqui-hire to build an ISP), I've always been fascinated by the amount of crap carriers insist on having pre-loaded (and kept working) in device firmwares.

Carriers want (demand, even) that their online portals, customer support apps and (most importantly) ringtone shops be pre-loaded on devices, and have always tied that to critical firmware drops for network defaults, radio compatibility testing, and a lot of other (truly critical) functionality that only actually exists on the device's radio baseband and has zero to do with the handset OS these days.

Source: I was one of the program managers for the flying circus that was Vodafone 360, when we tried to work with Samsung to build a vertically integrated handset like the iPhone. This sank (mercifully) without a trace, and to this day I summarise what happened by explaining that Samsung actually had two engineering v-teams: the Galaxy team and... everyone else.

And we got everyone else. It doesn't excuse a lot of what was decided, but it was instrumental in killing the service.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#22

Post by c0vfefe »

chrisseaton wrote: post #10
gniv wrote: post #6

I misread the title. The article is about the rate of adoption of new releases. Personally, I think it's due to people keeping their phones longer (and, of course, carriers not passing on the major updates).

> I think it's due to people keeping their phones longer Why can't the old phones run the new versions of Android? There's been no architecture change has there?

More bloat than the old hardware cam handle.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#23

Post by maxxxxx »

lvh wrote: post #14
cheeze wrote: post #5

The shining example of Google vs apple for me is the package manager. Since Android D, updating my apps has caused the phone to slow to a crawl. Fps drops heavily, apps are laggy, etc. There is no option to only download updates when charging. Google has done nothing about this for years now. I still use Android because I need the control. But parts of the platform are just inexcusable (imo) in 2019. Dont get me wron…

What control does Android give you that you want? (I’m legitimately asking: is there an immediate pragmatic reason, or is it a principled stance against walled gardens?)

Some things that come to mind : You can replace the launcher. You have a real file system. You can side load apps. Apps can do background operations.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#24

Post by cageface »

lvh wrote: post #14
cheeze wrote: post #5

The shining example of Google vs apple for me is the package manager. Since Android D, updating my apps has caused the phone to slow to a crawl. Fps drops heavily, apps are laggy, etc. There is no option to only download updates when charging. Google has done nothing about this for years now. I still use Android because I need the control. But parts of the platform are just inexcusable (imo) in 2019. Dont get me wron…

What control does Android give you that you want? (I’m legitimately asking: is there an immediate pragmatic reason, or is it a principled stance against walled gardens?)

Being able to change the default apps and layout the home screen any way I like, including using a completely new launcher, are big pluses for me. Being able to drag and drop music and files directly onto my device is another. Running real Firefox and not a Safari wrapper is a big deal too IMO.

I also find Android notifications and the Google keyboard way more ergonomic than on iOS and third party keyboard support on iOS is still pretty buggy.

But the real kicker is being able to side load apps when necessary. I didn't like the idea of giving Apple complete control over what I can run on my phone when they first announced the App Store and I still don't like it and consider it a serious threat to the future of general purpose computing.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#25

Post by javitury »

Those statistics should be broken down by new purchases and updating old devices.

At the time of Android 4.4, many people got an Android device for the first time, so adoption was high. At the time of Android 8, the market is already mature and many people still hold to their old Android 6 device.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#26

Post by cheeze »

wlesieutre wrote: post #19
lvh wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What control does Android give you that you want? (I’m legitimately asking: is there an immediate pragmatic reason, or is it a principled stance against walled gardens?)

The replaceable launcher is a big one. Tasker was another (though I heard Google Play was cracking down on non-accessibility uses of accessibility features for security reasons?) I switched back to iOS when the SE came out, but I still miss Nova Launcher. Especially being able to put two actions on each dock icon, one for tap and one for swipe up. So if you have something like friends split over two main chat platfor…

I just can't believe that 10 years later I still have to have a grid and have to hide apps I don't care about in folders.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#27

Post by c0vfefe »

inetknght wrote: post #2

Update adoption is getting slower because people (or perhaps just me) are frustrated with updates removing/changing functionality, making the device slower, or causing additional bugs beyond whatever was "fixed". That's on top of the fact that my carrier refuses to stay on top of updates for my device anyway.

It's planned obsolescence.

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#28

Post by RugnirViking »

ebg13 wrote: post #8
maaaats wrote: post #3

> Android devices aren’t kept up to date, leaving their users unable to benefit from advancements in the platform. What advancements? Both iOS and Android have for a few years reached maturity, not much exciting with each new update. At least not without new hardware, as most updates are to support something physical (notch, fingerprints, face scan etc). I used to hate my phone not being updated, so switched to a bra…

> What advancements? Security?

?

Security on even older phones is so good most non-tech oriented people think that phone viruses are a myth

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#29

Post by maaaats »

cheeze wrote: post #5

The shining example of Google vs apple for me is the package manager. Since Android D, updating my apps has caused the phone to slow to a crawl. Fps drops heavily, apps are laggy, etc. There is no option to only download updates when charging. Google has done nothing about this for years now. I still use Android because I need the control. But parts of the platform are just inexcusable (imo) in 2019. Dont get me wron…

My apps only update when I connect the charger during the evening. At least I have been under that impression. (Except for Facebook that updates itself outside the play store and then brags about it with an annoying notification..) Is it something that varies between models/makers?

Re: Android updates are getting slower and slower, despite Google's best efforts

#30

Post by cheeze »

lvh wrote: post #14
cheeze wrote: post #5

The shining example of Google vs apple for me is the package manager. Since Android D, updating my apps has caused the phone to slow to a crawl. Fps drops heavily, apps are laggy, etc. There is no option to only download updates when charging. Google has done nothing about this for years now. I still use Android because I need the control. But parts of the platform are just inexcusable (imo) in 2019. Dont get me wron…

What control does Android give you that you want? (I’m legitimately asking: is there an immediate pragmatic reason, or is it a principled stance against walled gardens?)

I'm at a buddies house and need to transfer a file. I can boot up a simple HTTP server with /Download mounted.

I can connect to my ps4 controller through Bluetooth

Tasker

I can inject a payload into my switch over usb-c

I can literally run Linux (and do all the time) using a 20 dollar hdmi adapter

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