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update through wifi?
- Thread starter clarc31
- Start date
What makes you say that? Cellular connectivity is not necessary for an OTA update. In fact, they always recommend that you install them while connected to WiFi.
The updates are pushed out by the manufacturers after Verizon approves them. Verizon does not send out the updates. So, as long as your phone is on the current stock software, there should be absolutely no problems updating over WiFi without having the phone activated.
exactly. No difference with a non active phone. It's basically a small tablet at this point
Incorrect. The updates are pushed out from the the manufacturer's servers, not the carrier's. That's why the update can be performed without the phone being activated or connected to a cellular network.
...unless the Thunderbolt is the one Android phone that's different than all of the rest.
I don't think that's correct, otherwise we would never hear about the carriers causing the updates to continue to get pushed back. It's also the carriers that announce the updates for their phones.Incorrect. The updates are pushed out from the the manufacturer's servers, not the carrier's. That's why the update can be performed without the phone being activated or connected to a cellular network.
...unless the Thunderbolt is the one Android phone that's different than all of the rest.
It is correct.
The manufacturer builds the update, tests it, and then sends it to the carrier to test. The carrier tests the update, and can request changes/fixes if they believe anything is needed, which can cause the update's release to be pushed back. Once the carrier feels that the update is ready to be released, they set the release date since they exercise control over what goes out to devices they've sold (and to give them time to start getting the proper documents and information distributed). The update is then pushed out by the manufacturer.
The carriers do not create the updates, nor do they actually distribute them. All of that is handled by the manufacturer. The carriers simply test the update and tell the manufacturers when they can be released. The carriers, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, have a much larger amount of control over things than other carriers around the world. But they don't create and distribute the updates.
The entire process is much more clear if you've had a Motorola phone and have been a part of their testing network for OTA updates. In those tests, everything is entirely handled by Motorola except for the approval of the final build (which is done by Verizon). While every manufacturer doesn't have public tests like Motorola does, they all release the updates themselves in the same fashion once the carrier has given the approval.
And to add to this, I've had several Verizon Android devices that were not activated on Verizon that received OTA updates via WiFi. This includes a couple times when I was out of the country and had a device I was using only as a media player. The updates come from the manufacturer and are based on the IMEI number of the phone. So it doesn't matter if it's activated or even if it's in another country. As long as it can connect to the internet, and is running the required stock software, it will update.
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