[RUMOR] Droid 3 end of life?

[buckmarble]

Bah! Who cares about support from Big Red? With Dev's like Buckmarble, Pedwards3x, HashCode, ChevyCam, etc. the 3 will be viable for a good long time.

Time, which maybe VZW can use to finally figure out how to make 4G reliable.

****! I guess i need a new phone! Haha, j/k VBH! Ill support the d3 for a while since i cant afford to buy another one. Id gladly take a phone by donation though! Lol D3 really is an awesome device IMO.

Sent from my DROID3 using DroidForums

 

[patmw123]

The Droid Concepts team is also on the D3 bandwagon. That's definitely a good team to have in your corner :biggrin:.

 

[garrett]

Once a device goes EOL it will not get any major updates it will only recieve minor security fixes from the manufacturer or from verizon.

this sucks but it just shows the direction android as whole is going. The manufacturers are only concerned with quantity of devices. More does not mean better.

 

[johnomaz]

It's still the best 3G phone available for Verizon IMO, regardless of its EOL status.

With a physical keyboard, maybe, but I'm still loving my DX with a nearly complete ICS ROM already.

 

[tgyberg]

I would have stayed with 3G phones if Verizon hadn't come out with the Nexus. I don't even really use 4G. I just wanted a Nexus :biggrin:.

If they offered the Nexus in 3G only for $100 cheaper, I would have gone that way!

 

[JSM9872]

If they offered the Nexus in 3G only for $100 cheaper, I would have gone that way!

I would have done the same. 4g is not supposed to be in my area, although I do get it in some spots.

 

[gadgetrants]

this sucks but it just shows the direction android as whole is going. The manufacturers are only concerned with quantity of devices. More does not mean better.

I disagree with this statement. It is probably 100% true -- which is pretty much why I disagree with it. I figure if I hide my head in the sand, and go into TOTAL DENIAL MODE, I can prevent this from happening. BUT what REALLY PISSES ME OFF is Jobs pretty much predicted it. His argument was either keep total control of the device, or flood the market with cheap clone phones. Looks like Android is successfully evolving toward the latter route:

Android's branding paradox, and the fast track to commoditization | ZDNet

EDIT: I actually found last year's version of the "commoditization" angle (same author) a better story:

Android ambivalence: the plight of too many Google phones | ZDNet

I also don't agree entirely with the article -- especially the overused "too many versions of Android" (i.e., aka "fragmentation") argument -- but I do think it supports Jobs' prediction: flood the market, lots of phones, hard to differentiate. It might be a successful strategy (look at market share) but psychologically it kinda sucks.

-Matt

 

[Darksthour]

Bah! Who cares about support from Big Red? With Dev's like Buckmarble, Pedwards3x, HashCode, ChevyCam, etc. the 3 will be viable for a good long time.

Time, which maybe VZW can use to finally figure out how to make 4G reliable.

+1. (4 char)

 

[tjk629]

Not good IMO.

Verizon's LTE network is still developing. They need good 3G phones for people who don't want to deal with network growing pains.

 

[slowtype]

I found this article the other day. Its kind of related.

the understatement: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

How long are customers going to put up with this?

 

[nhra1ss]

Hmm, maybe time to look into getting a D3 while I can. I really like having a physical keyboard and this would be my next. Still on the fence on the D4, mainly because of the non removable battery. 4G is not a big deal for me, still doing ok with 3G plus 4G is having so many growing pains. So the D3 will do me good till they get everything (D4 & 4G) working as they should. Looks like a rooted D3 is in my future

Sent from my rooted D2 using Cyan Xparent DF app

 

[gadgetrants]

I found this article the other day. Its kind of related.

the understatement: Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

How long are customers going to put up with this?

That's an exceptional find. Thanks for posting!

-Matt

 

[jimikeys]

vzw should do the right thing and offer d3 owners an extra early non-contract extending upgrade.

 

[ChevyNexus]

vzw should do the right thing and offer d3 owners an extra early non-contract extending upgrade.

Not gonna happen. Seems like the WHOLE bionic movement thing had more steam behind it. Also this EOL thing is just a rumor....like the Nexus Prime....was (;

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using DroidForums

 

[azules9780]

It really bothers me that a lot of OEMs aren't supporting their devices for the 18 month period like Google intends for them to. Assuming that the Droid 3 doesn't get official ICS, 6 months of support is inexcusable. Luckily, the D3 has a great development backing like hokie said.

Especially since we are locked into these devices for 18-24 months. What are the people to do who don't rom? I think as a whole this kind of thing will end up hurting Android as a whole much worse than anything else.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using DroidForums