Ya Know What - NO it's NOT

[Hodor]

Most of us have had Android devices for years now and we all know that updates never arrive on time"..

And this is ok? This alone is one of the major reasons Android can still fail, and if you listen to the Apple fan boys, will..

 

[cr6]

Fortunately I don't listen to the Apple fanbois. Android marketshare doesn't either, which is why Android continues to outsell Apple year after year. Your average consumer could care less. They go into the store and buy the phone they see, they don't buy the phone they think it may become.

S5 tap'n

 

[jstafford1]

Plus we're not the average consumer. I think most don't know what version of Android they even have. Nor do they care. I agree with cr6. People get the phone that works for them, not the phone that supposedly might work better in the future.

Let's not forget. There's no obligation on anyone's part to upgrade your phone from where it was when you bought it. They can say it will be or may be. But in the end there is nothing saying they have to do it.

 

[iiWoodstocK]

Apple might push out quick updates, but they're quite honestly atrocious. My previous phone was an iPhone 5, and one update made my phone go from lasting a good portion of the day with use, like about 12 hours, to about 5 hours max with no use. Apple's public releases are almost wide scale beta tests, and its really bad. That was the reason why my phone was always running "illegitimate" pre-release Dev builds. Those were more stable and better performing than the public releases. Quick updates are nice and all, but using Apple as a comparison for update deadlines/speed doesn't work. Apple quickly pushes out rotten apples, instead of quality stuff.

I chose Moto because at the time, they were amongst the speediest when it came to updates. And Droid-Life also had a poll on that about 4-5 months ago and from what I remember, Moto was at the top. But its been way too long to have no info on Lollipop, not even an estimated timeframe

 

[dezymond]

I am the sole Android user in my family, the rest are iPhone users. With every update I help download, I hear more and more complaints about how "this doesn't work right" and in the mean time with every Android update I feel that the improvements outweigh the negatives. I still feel that Apple purposely releases these "timely" updates when a new device is near and with the iPhone 6s rumor picking up steam, I've heard complaints from both my parents that their iPhone 6 has been "acting up".

Meanwhile I'm sitting here with a freshly installed Lollipop and my s4 is just flying through apps and all input with ease and also a greatly improved battery life over KitKat (at least idle time).

 

[hammerhead13]

Don't worry. We will get 5.1 once they Release Android M.

 

[kmf1]

Oh, it will be soooooooooooooooooooooner than that. Ha!

 

[PereDroid]

Slow updates are the "major reason Android will fail"? Are you kidding?
You're going to switch to Apple because you didn't get Lollipop? Come on.
I went out with 2 of my friends today. Married couple I call The Turbo Twins because they both got Turbos a few months ago. Told them to expect a big update called Lollipop real soon.
" What's Lollipop?"
Seriously. They don't even know what the OS is called let alone that there's an update coming.

TapaTurbo

 

[Hodor]

Fragmentation is why Android could fail, slow updates just contribute to that. No, I would never switch to Apple, Android is still the best.

 

[jstafford1]

Fragmentation, and perceived slow updates won't hurt Android at all. As shown most don't know what they're running now and aren't aware of any updates. Its only the small percentage of techie types that care about those things.

 

[hammerhead13]

I do agree with having so many different Versions of Android out that it can make it confusing or discouraging for a Consumer. Android is still in its Infancy and one day maybe when they can work a version that can run really lightweight that can be supported across low end phones with compatibility as well we will see a standard develop. Its tough when there are so many Manufacturers putting their own spin on the OS and not have a Plain Vanilla OS. Android will not Fail or Fall unless Google wants it too. It will get better. Time will tell.

 

[mountainbikermark]

I do agree with having so many different Versions of Android out that it can make it confusing or discouraging for a Consumer. Android is still in its Infancy and one day maybe when they can work a version that can run really lightweight that can be supported across low end phones with compatibility as well we will see a standard develop. Its tough when there are so many Manufacturers putting their own spin on the OS and not have a Plain Vanilla OS. Android will not Fail or Fall unless Google wants it too. It will get better. Time will tell.

I'd call it toddler stage, not infant anymore.
And we were told Kit Kat was lightweight enough to be used on older devices. The manufacturers Anna carriers, the main reason for fragmentation, didn't do their part and unabandon older devices.
Android isn't the only one. My wife has an iPad1 with no intention of upgrading. It has ios5 and will not accept anything newer, making many app updates and new apps not possible. That is not a carrier or manufacturer fragmentation that is the parent company making a decision to abandon a perfectly working product because it is lighter weight on its innards (small ram).

Support Our Troops !!!
<><
Beast Mode 4

 

[dezymond]

Fragmentation is why Android could fail, slow updates just contribute to that. No, I would never switch to Apple, Android is still the best.

This has been the argument against Android for years. Fragmentation hasn't hurt Android one bit. The only time you hear about these sorts of complaints are on forum boards and forum users make up a very small percentage of Android users.

Also, Apple is pretty fragmented as well. Just like Android, some of their older devices don't even receive the latest update and for those older devices that are as up-to-date as possible, they're pretty slow. Yeah Android has updates that may slow down a device, but there's another argument where latest updates can make an older device feel new again. (Ex. My Galaxy s4 with Lollipop absolutely flies through everything I throw at it)

The only reason why many don't think Apple is fragmented is because their OS doesn't change names, they're still iOS. Where Android treats just about every other update as a major one, which they are, and they give it a new name. I mean I have a device that's about 2yrs old that's seen JellyBean, KitKat, and now Lollipop. Each update making the phone better, you can't really say that about an iOS device.

 

[PereDroid]

The more I think about my earlier comment...."What's Lollipop?"... Sitting here thinking (as I wait for the wife to get out of the store)....of all the people I know, associate with, work with....how many from either camp have any clue about updates and OS's?
I can think of 2 people, both coworkers, who have any clue. 1 Android, 1 IOS.
Of every other person I can think of: 2. That's got to be like .05% of the people I know.

TapaTurbo

 

[dezymond]

The more I think about my earlier comment...."What's Lollipop?"... Sitting here thinking (as I wait for the wife to get out of the store)....of all the people I know, associate with, work with....how many from either camp have any clue about updates and OS's?
I can think of 2 people, both coworkers, who have any clue. 1 Android, 1 IOS.
Of every other person I can think of: 2. That's got to be like .05% of the people I know.

TapaTurbo

Exactly. The only ones who care or pay attention to these updates are the ones that are interested in Technology. Otherwise it's just a device that can text, surf the web, and take amazing pictures to just about anyone else. You have these features like Siri that sell to the masses (my parents included, which I told them to avoid as a 4 would've fit them nicely for FREE), but it's these "bells and whistles" that get people, not the promise of updates and improvement down the line.

That's why these sales reps push these features; amazing camera, amazing battery life, you can use voice command, etc. It's all these features that become novelty that make the sale, not the fact that "you'll get the latest iOS or next Android update". The average consumer doesn't care about that or what operating system it's on.