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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

#141

Post by ninguem2 »

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…

I would love to update my Nexus 5X to Pie but Google is not giving me this opportunity. How is this my fault?

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

#142

Post by scarface74 »

medius wrote: post #139
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…

To add to this, I have a 6 year old iPad. There are no issues with it except the operating system itself. Hulu won't install since it needs iOS 11 for some reason. iOS won't update to 11 because it's too old. Netflix works and updates just fine. The iPad is in perfect condition with no hardware issues. It's the software that will make it an ewaste soon. My Android phone updates all the apps (even many OS services) wi…

Have you ever downloaded Hulu with your account? If so, it should let you download the “last compatible version”. It worked a few months ago for me on my old first gen iPad.

If you haven’t downloaded it before, you can download it with an older version of iTunes or a newer device if you have one and then it will let you download on your old device.

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

#143

Post by krn »

joshuamorton wrote: post #137
krn wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Digital well-being dashboard and limits Whenever a for-profit company introduces a new feature, one must ask himself, what is the business case for it. Personally, I see this feature as a way for Google to legally track which apps people use, and how often. Essentially, it does for Google what Onavo VPN did for Facebook. From the data collection point of view, whoever came up with this idea at Google must have been…

They can and do already track your app usage (you can see this if you check your usage history on the Google data dashboards). This specific change is pretty much just a good thing, unless you want to get meta-cynical.

> They can and do already track your app usage (you can see this if you check your usage history on the Google data dashboards).

Is my Android data usage by app stored somewhere online by default? I thought the stats are only kept locally at the OS level, and are not connected to my Google Account.

In any case, "Digital well-being" seems to be about tracking screen time, not data usage. And as far as I understand, it sends that data back to Google.

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

#144

Post by scarface74 »

Starknaked wrote: post #138
rcarmo wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I appreciate the independent thinking behind this comment, but seriously, what completely broke the carrier model was the iPhone. When we started discussing customisation with Apple, all they ever allowed us to do was add a default bookmark to Safari. Period. Finito. Looking back, that was the sanest thing any handset manufacturer ever did for the entire industry.

How did carriers incentivise customisation for manufacturers? Did Apple essentially turn down "easy money" to maintain product integrity?

Apple’s m.o. early on was a take it or leave approach with the carriers. Usually the largest carrier in a market would refuse their demands but a smaller carrier would acquiesce. Then the larger carrier would start losing customers since they didn’t have the iPhone and they would come to the table.

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

#145

Post by throwaway2048 »

krn wrote: post #143
joshuamorton wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can and do already track your app usage (you can see this if you check your usage history on the Google data dashboards). This specific change is pretty much just a good thing, unless you want to get meta-cynical.

> They can and do already track your app usage (you can see this if you check your usage history on the Google data dashboards). Is my Android data usage by app stored somewhere online by default? I thought the stats are only kept locally at the OS level, and are not connected to my Google Account. In any case, "Digital well-being" seems to be about tracking screen time, not data usage. And as far as I understand, it…

Sign into your google store account on another device with a web browser, it gives you full information about what apps you have installed, how long you have used them, and even the ability to install apps remotely (!).

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

#146

Post by rcarmo »

Starknaked wrote: post #138
rcarmo wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I appreciate the independent thinking behind this comment, but seriously, what completely broke the carrier model was the iPhone. When we started discussing customisation with Apple, all they ever allowed us to do was add a default bookmark to Safari. Period. Finito. Looking back, that was the sanest thing any handset manufacturer ever did for the entire industry.

How did carriers incentivise customisation for manufacturers? Did Apple essentially turn down "easy money" to maintain product integrity?

What do you mean by incentivise? Either manufacturers delivered custom firmware or they carriers didn’t sell their devices, period. Apple changed all that.

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

#147

Post by Tsubasachan »

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…

I have android 9 and frankly its not that special. Google is just scraping the barrel to find new things to put in their updates. Oh look another redesign!

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

#148

Post by Tsubasachan »

rcarmo wrote: post #48
grumpy-cowboy wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They will not be able to force their crap in my future Librem 5 phone.

I appreciate the independent thinking behind this comment, but seriously, what completely broke the carrier model was the iPhone. When we started discussing customisation with Apple, all they ever allowed us to do was add a default bookmark to Safari. Period. Finito. Looking back, that was the sanest thing any handset manufacturer ever did for the entire industry.

In the US sure, here phones have always been unlocked.

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

#149

Post by Starknaked »

rcarmo wrote: post #146
Starknaked wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did carriers incentivise customisation for manufacturers? Did Apple essentially turn down "easy money" to maintain product integrity?

What do you mean by incentivise? Either manufacturers delivered custom firmware or they carriers didn’t sell their devices, period. Apple changed all that.

I see. That makes sense if you upgrade/buy through your carrier. That isn't something I've ever done so my carrier has never been a limitation on the phones I can get. I guess Apple made the carriers realise that everyone will get the phone they want with or without them in the purchasing cycle.

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

#150

Post by nfriedly »

Im on a Pixel 2, so I get fast updates. But I almost wish they were slower, or would just stop breakimg things and removing features. My phone, after more than a year of great service, starting dropping calls in my house again. I poked around and realized they removed the option to prefer Wi-Fi calling. So now because it can get a weak cellular signal, it ignores my strong Wi-Fi and I get much crappier services a result. #$&@!
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