Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#1

Post by estel » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 11:44 AM UTC

Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support
theunderstatement.com

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#2

Post by degusta » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:00 PM UTC

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#3

Post by JoachimSchipper » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:18 PM UTC

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

Just an observation: I believe I would strongly prefer a timeline, like

    iPhone 3 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
    iPhone 4          |||||||||||||||||||||||||
    Nexus one     ||||||||||----||||-------
    Other ph.   ||||||||||||--------

This would make several things much clearer (e.g. what's the uptake of 2.3? Have Android manufacturers gotten better or worse?)

Still, interesting.

EDIT: Just FYI, at 47 minutes this has 9 points.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#4

Post by martey » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:19 PM UTC

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

Have you considered extending the chart? Right now it seems very iOS versus Android, and is only useful for people in the United States.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#5

Post by mda » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:21 PM UTC

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

As JoachimSchipper said, provide a timeline and mark release dates of Os versions on it as well. This way it would be much cleaner and gives more context.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#6

Post by d_r » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:22 PM UTC

The current situation is somewhat unfair to the indiscrete / non-tech-savvy consumer since they might buy an Android phone without understanding the differences from the iOS ecosystem. At least several of my friends did. "They're about the same right? And this one was $30 cheaper!" And I genuinely feel bad every time this happens.

Note that I of course have no gripes with Android OS/concept itself -- it's a good contender to iOS. My gripe is with the current gouging of consumers by hardware manufacturers/cell phone companies, of the fragmented/poor/outdated hardware coverage in many models, lack of upgrades, et cetera. And don't forget the mandatory "crapware" that carriers pre-install.

This is quite different from buying, say, a Dell/HP PC vs. a Mac -- in both cases do you get a working, upgradeable machine.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#7

Post by robinduckett » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:27 PM UTC

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

You should include iPod Touch and how apple forces a charge for updates on that device.

This chart is also skewed a bit and should be based on intervals of releases rather than "years since". I don't recall seeing any iOS5 backports to iPhone 2G or 3G.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#8

Post by technoslut » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:30 PM UTC

d_r wrote: post #6

The current situation is somewhat unfair to the indiscrete / non-tech-savvy consumer since they might buy an Android phone without understanding the differences from the iOS ecosystem. At least several of my friends did. "They're about the same right? And this one was $30 cheaper!" And I genuinely feel bad every time this happens. Note that I of course have no gripes with Android OS/concept itself -- it's a good cont…

>And don't forget the mandatory "crapware" that carriers pre-install.

ICS supposedly solves this problem but one has to wonder how many low-end Android phones will be sold in the next year (or even two?) that won't support ICS since the N1 won't be getting it.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#9

Post by degusta » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:30 PM UTC

JoachimSchipper wrote: post #3

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

Just an observation: I believe I would strongly prefer a timeline, like iPhone 3 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| iPhone 4 ||||||||||||||||||||||||| Nexus one ||||||||||----||||------- Other ph. ||||||||||||-------- This would make several things much clearer (e.g. what's the uptake of 2.3? Have Android manufacturers gotten better or worse?) Still, interesting. EDIT: Just FYI, at 47 minutes this has 9 points.

I actually originally started doing it that way, but thought it was more relevant vis a vis release date than calendar date. I do intend to include that when I finish doing all of the phones. (Yes, I'm a bit OCD :) ).

Google apparently says less than 50% are on Gingerbread, despite way more than 50% of Android phones having been sold since 2.3 shipped.

I do think manufacturers might have gotten a bit better, but I guess we'll see. That's one of the reasons I want to do the next 6 months or so of phones.

Re: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

#10

Post by technoslut » Thu, Oct 27, 2011, 12:31 PM UTC

robinduckett wrote: post #7

degusta wrote: post #2

I wrote the piece / did the research. Happy to answer any questions or comments people might have.

You should include iPod Touch and how apple forces a charge for updates on that device. This chart is also skewed a bit and should be based on intervals of releases rather than "years since". I don't recall seeing any iOS5 backports to iPhone 2G or 3G.

I don't think Apple charges for iPod touch updates anymore.