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Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

developer.android.com

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Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#51

Post by smithian »

nilliams wrote: post #31

>> Faster, Smoother, More Responsive Does all this finally mean it has actually caught up with iOS in terms of touch-lag? And is this finally admittance that there was a problem all along? I know some may jump to the defence of Android here, I've seen this argued ad nauseam before, and yes I've tried some Android phones that didn't have noticable lag, but the 'top of the range' Samsung Galaxy II tablet is indisputabl…

As an iPad 1, iPad 2, original Droid, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and Kindle Fire owner, I have no idea what you are talking about. Our iOS devices have hiccups just as much as any of our Android devices do, and sometimes more.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#52

Post by nilliams »

sigkill wrote: post #48
nilliams wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh wow thanks, I hadn't realised that was the case, never actually heard anyone state that so bluntly. Is it safe to say the ASUS tabs are smoother?

Yep. I've got the Old Transformer 101, and the Galaxy S2. Both are totally smooth which is why I was confused as to what you were referring to.

Not trolling, but as a followup to my above post, I can't believe you think the S2 is smooth, have you compared it to an iPad 2/3?

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#53

Post by chimeracoder »

picklefish wrote: post #26

For anyone wondering when it's coming to ICS phones. "Google: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean coming to Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom mid-July" from: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/27/google-android-4-1-jelly-...

Does that include the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus, since Google agreed to let Verizon handle the updates for that model?

If so, I'm glad to hear that Google is addressing the problem of not having their own devices be up-to-date (which was an embarrassment for some Android updates on previous Nexus devices).

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#54

Post by nilliams »

veeti wrote: post #44
nilliams wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh wow thanks, I hadn't realised that was the case, never actually heard anyone state that so bluntly. Is it safe to say the ASUS tabs are smoother?

Definitely. I've played around with a friend's Transformer Prime for a bit and it was mostly pretty fluid. ASUS also makes far less modifications to the OS, too. Their devices are very close to stock Android with just some small additions, some new apps and wallpapers and whatever.

Great, thanks that's good to know, my company is considering developing on Android and the Samsung tabs are very off-putting :)

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#55

Post by technomancy »

jshen wrote: post #29
cookiecaper wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that? Your contract allows you to change phones at any time, you just can't get another subsidy or cancel your service without a fee until the extant contract expires. You are free to purchase another phone, second-hand or new, without cell company subsidy and switch to it.

And you think that is a good situation for Android users? Want the new OS, buy a new phone without a subsidy. That is one hell of a tag line for Android

That's what you get for trusting your carrier. Luckily you can get Android devices that you have control over yourself.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#56

Post by glogla »

jsz0 wrote: post #37
cookiecaper wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW you can get ICS on that phone, just not officially. If you aren't going to buy a Nexus, you have to accept the fate of sparse official/OTA updates if you're lucky enough to get any at all. This is the fault of carriers and the ignorant masses that prop them up. An alternative exists if you're interested; buy Nexus line.

Only by installing alpha/beta quality software from an untrusted source. Not an acceptable solution for most. You're right though about buying a Nexus. That's the only way you will have any chance of getting software updates. If it's not available on your country/carrier, and updates are important to you, do not buy an Android phone.

Not really. First of all, free/open source software is not really "alpha/beta quality software from untrusted source" and suggesting it is, is pretty much trolling. Second, Google is not the only one manufacturer (in the borad sense) that keeps it's phones up-to-date, for example Sony recently released 4.0 upgrade for it's 2011 models. Third, I know it tends to be pretty common in the US, but if you are buying subsidized phone from your carrier to save money, you do save money, but pay a different price, be it slow upgrades, disabled tethering or something else. And no one coerced you to buy chaeper but crippled phone, you made that decision yourself.

But most of all, the platform fragmentation, I mean in the sense that even this instant some OEMs are selling Android 2.3 devices is the price for cheap phones being available at all. Sure, Apple does update it's phones (though not really old models so people still have to upgrade), but for a price of iPhone, you easily can get three or four cheap Android devices. This is because they can use old software that has lower hardware requirements and because reusing software has little R&D costs.

In the end, saying "I want no Android fragmentation" is pretty much saying "I want smartphones only for rich people" and I don't think that's worth it. Even if, maybe, in US, people can buy iPhones all the time and it would not be a problem for them, there are other parts of the world too.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#57

Post by nilliams »

smithian wrote: post #51
nilliams wrote: post #31

>> Faster, Smoother, More Responsive Does all this finally mean it has actually caught up with iOS in terms of touch-lag? And is this finally admittance that there was a problem all along? I know some may jump to the defence of Android here, I've seen this argued ad nauseam before, and yes I've tried some Android phones that didn't have noticable lag, but the 'top of the range' Samsung Galaxy II tablet is indisputabl…

As an iPad 1, iPad 2, original Droid, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and Kindle Fire owner, I have no idea what you are talking about. Our iOS devices have hiccups just as much as any of our Android devices do, and sometimes more.

Have you used the Galaxy Tab 2? That's what I'm referring to, and it's really poor in a straight comparison to an iPad 2. Perhaps I've been unlucky and picked the worst of the bunch. Above poster suggests the ASUS tabs are considerably better and it's Samsung at fault here and I'm inclined to take him/her at his/her word.

Edit: That said the difference is so vast, that combined with these announcement details I'm also inclined to believe no to-date Android tab is as smooth as iOS prior to this release, otherwise there would be nothing to improve on and make the above claims about being "Faster, Smoother, More Responsive" which is why I'm excited about this and have high hopes for Jelly Bean.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#58

Post by briancooley »

moe wrote: post #25
_ea1k wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

91% of the Android market is covered by 3 major versions (2.2, 2.3, and 4.0). 72% is covered by just two major versions (2.3 and 4.0). This problem isn't quite as severe as its made out to be. Dealing with the diverse hardware ecosystem and implementation bugs are both much larger problems, IMO.

This report disagrees with you rather strongly: http://opensignalmaps.com/reports/fragmentation.php It claims 2.3 and 2.4 make up for ~75% of the installed base, and the remaining 25% is just a mess.

The official dashboard is http://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html and has been updated fairly often - maybe once a month or so - since ICS released.

According to that chart, about 84% of devices that have accessed Google Play are on Froyo or Gingerbread, and another 7% are on ICS.

Pretty much all of the phone market is concentrated in Gingerbread and Froyo. I think fewer than 10 types of phone are on ICS.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#59

Post by glogla »

jshen wrote: post #14
drivebyacct2 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope it's obvious that Motorola releasing the RAZR2 is more profitable than spending time working on software updates to the RAZR1 and I don't know why you insist on comparing Android OEMs to Apple when you yourself already point out that they have different goals and strategies by the nature of their products,

I bought a droid x2 about a year ago. It was a top of the line phone a year ago, and I can't even get ICS for this phone. Here's what's going to happen to motorola's profits. I will never buy another phone from them.

But if you had bought Xperia Arc S year ago, you would have official ICS on it now. Some OEMs do care. And some don't but no-one expects them to, because when you buy Huawei or ZTE phone, you either don't care or are willing to get updates from modaco.

With Motorola, it's just sad, but after encrypted bootlockers and soldered everything to make their phones unrepairable and unmodifiable, I would say it is to be expected.

Re: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available

#60

Post by javajosh »

sturadnidge wrote: post #27
jshen wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought a droid x2 about a year ago. It was a top of the line phone a year ago, and I can't even get ICS for this phone. Here's what's going to happen to motorola's profits. I will never buy another phone from them.

Same here, albeit a different Motorola device. A combination of Motorola and T-Mobile meant I got 2.2 just after 4.0 was released, and I'll never see another legitimate upgrade for my phone, which is less than 2 years old. Not only will I never buy another Motorola phone, after the experience of release delays by carriers I'll never buy another Android phone.

Yes. This is precisely the reaction that will hurt, if not destroy, Android unless it is addressed.
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