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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

#121

Post by inetknght »

whalabi wrote: post #70
cageface wrote: post #17

This is definitely a problem but in practice it's not as dire as this article makes it sound. So many of the essential pieces have been factored out into the support libraries and independently upgradable components that Android devices actually get more regular updates in some respects than iOS devices do. For example, I have to update my entire iPhone OS to get an updated web browser or photo library or keyboard. G…

Hi, author here You're right about platform features used within apps, many (most? all?) are made available to developers with the support libraries. However, users will get none of the following until they get Pie (for example) * ML adaptive battery * App actions (ML predictive app shortcuts) * Digital well-being dashboard and limits * A lot more, as shown on this page (there's a lot of smaller items in the collapsi…

> ML adaptive battery

That sounds like a gimmick.

> App actions (ML predictive app shortcuts)

More stuff I don't want. I don't want "predictive" app shortcuts. I want shorts that I specify. I want to control which shortcuts are shown and in what order. I don't want anyone (developer, carrier, whoever) to see what shortcuts I've selected, used, or how often.

> Digital well-being dashboard and limits

This sounds like stuff that should have been in the first release.

> A lot more

I don't see any improvements here whatsoever. All of this is the wheel which should have been shipped with my phone is being reinvented.

> interface improvements

"Improvements" is a buzzword for "let's change everything and give it a facelift and make all of our users waste time relearning how to use their device". No thanks. Actually, not even thanks. Just no.

Edit: Dear Me: less swearing plzkthx

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

#122

Post by sdenton4 »

lmkg wrote: post #119
apocalyptic0n3 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No AI needed for that. These days, I'm beginning to wonder if it's even possible for a company to alphabetize without ML.

Languages sometimes have different sort order, even when they use the same script. So I could see using ML to detect the language, in order to select the proper sort order.

Including merging in name in different languages and scripts... And trying to figure out whether the user really wanted an English interface when they set up the phone, or just had prior bad experience with poor localizations...

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

#123

Post by kamarg »

lmkg wrote: post #119
apocalyptic0n3 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No AI needed for that. These days, I'm beginning to wonder if it's even possible for a company to alphabetize without ML.

Languages sometimes have different sort order, even when they use the same script. So I could see using ML to detect the language, in order to select the proper sort order.

Isn't the language a setting in the OS somewhere? I don't think you need any ML to figure out what language a user's phone is currently using.

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

#124

Post by Anarch157a »

inetknght wrote: post #121
whalabi wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi, author here You're right about platform features used within apps, many (most? all?) are made available to developers with the support libraries. However, users will get none of the following until they get Pie (for example) * ML adaptive battery * App actions (ML predictive app shortcuts) * Digital well-being dashboard and limits * A lot more, as shown on this page (there's a lot of smaller items in the collapsi…

> ML adaptive battery That sounds like a gimmick. > App actions (ML predictive app shortcuts) More stuff I don't want. I don't want "predictive" app shortcuts. I want shorts that I specify. I want to control which shortcuts are shown and in what order. I don't want anyone (developer, carrier, whoever) to see what shortcuts I've selected, used, or how often. > Digital well-being dashboard and limits This sounds like s…

> "Improvements" is a buzzword for "let's change everything and give it a facelift and make all of our users waste time relearning how to use their device". No thanks. Actually, not even thanks. Just no.

Which can be a traumatic experience for non-technical people, like my mother or my niece, the end result being them learning to automatically refusing any kind of update, out of fear of change.

I really don't get this unhealthy obsession of the tech industry wit change for change sake, what most people want and need, is stability, so they can take of their lives.

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

#125

Post by Someone1234 »

joecool1029 wrote: post #113
Someone1234 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The hard limit on how many apps a folder can hold?

If you weren't aware: You can fit 135 apps in a folder. Folders inside of folders are also supported so there's practically no limit.

I was aware since I just made that exact point. You want an "App drawer" folder that has a hard limit of 135. Not to mention the terrible UX of folders at that scale.

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

#126

Post by sdenton4 »

lighthazard wrote: post #110
ben509 wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a while, the restrictions were justifiable because "Apple wants to do it right." And I thought some of the features they brought to market later seemed nicely done. The problem is that Apple applies the 90% rule in deciding if lifting a restriction is justified, but I found myself in that 10% enough that I finally switched last year. There are some things I miss from iOS, but not much.

What do you miss on iOS? I am using it now and feel like I miss almost everything from Android. I like the iPhone's amazing speed and quality, but I miss finger print (yes, I know less secure but any less secure than a face scan?), apps communicating with each other, separate identities/work profiles. Apps that cost < $10.

(Fwiw, lots of Android phones (like my moto) have finger print unlock.)

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

#127

Post by listic »

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #56

Security updates are becoming more dire, but feature updates between versions has been dwindling since the early days. I've had an Android phone continuously since 2011, and while I could detail a laundry list of stuff we got from Gingerbread -> Ice Cream Sandwich or KitKat -> Lollipop, I can't think of many "game changers" from Marshmallow on that made each new update a "must have". Just trying to think of the ones…

> I lost the ability to record calls

Is this applicable to all Pie phones or just your particular one? I wonder why did they do it.

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

#128

Post by AdmiralAsshat »

listic wrote: post #127
AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #56

Security updates are becoming more dire, but feature updates between versions has been dwindling since the early days. I've had an Android phone continuously since 2011, and while I could detail a laundry list of stuff we got from Gingerbread -> Ice Cream Sandwich or KitKat -> Lollipop, I can't think of many "game changers" from Marshmallow on that made each new update a "must have". Just trying to think of the ones…

> I lost the ability to record calls Is this applicable to all Pie phones or just your particular one? I wonder why did they do it.

https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/google-removes-...

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

#129

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

tonyjstark wrote: post #103
oblio wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're telling me an OS with 1.2+ billion users has bugs? I'm shocked! :) On a more serious note, Microsoft is (was?) famous for its QA processes. They have (had?) huge computer farms, tens of thousands of machine to be able to QA with every strange configuration out there. Windows, despite the hate it gets, is one of the most QAd pieces of software out there. And considering the shoddy architecture it has to supp…

Yea, I always wondered about the (frankly amazing) backwards compatibility. Windows could probably be a much better system if they just get rid of support for these old systems. Same for these super old MS-Word formats. Doesn't need to be as drastic as Apple does it, though.

The super old MS Word formats are just a memory dump of internal data structures. The Modern DOCX just converts XML into that same representation along with whatever new features have been added. There is little reason to remove the old format when it is still very much an integral part of Word internals.

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

#130

Post by ksec »

cageface wrote: post #17

This is definitely a problem but in practice it's not as dire as this article makes it sound. So many of the essential pieces have been factored out into the support libraries and independently upgradable components that Android devices actually get more regular updates in some respects than iOS devices do. For example, I have to update my entire iPhone OS to get an updated web browser or photo library or keyboard. G…

>As an iOS developer I can't use new OS features until all my users have upgraded. As long as what I need is in the support library I can adopt the latest and greatest for Android right away.

I don't know about the rate and speed of support library from the Top 5 Android manufacturers, which is Samsung, Huawei, BBKs, Xiaomi. I know they do get some regular update, but on all devices? And do those user actually update it?

iOS Users Update are on a much faster cycle. iOS 12 is on 70% of compatible iOS devices within 3 months of release. iOS 11+ on 95% of all compatible iOS devices. That is pretty damn crazy if you ask me Having OS that is only 2 years old on nearly all devices.

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