Andriod updates that do not update the version, what are they?

[JimKiler]

My phone did another update this morning from AT&T and it upgraded andriod and optimized all the apps and rebooted but the andriod version is still 5.0.01 on my Galaxy S4. So why are these updates for?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Security update?

 

[poofyhairguy]

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/google-samsung-lg-roll-regular-android-security-updates/

 

[shabby]

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/google-samsung-lg-roll-regular-android-security-updates/

I wish they pushed android updates like this, when will google learn.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I wish they pushed android updates like this, when will google learn.

The article is about Android updates. What are you talking about?

 

[shabby]

The article is about Android updates. What are you talking about?

Its about security updates, not android updates.

 

[ControlD]

I wish they pushed android updates like this, when will google learn.

Google did learn. They made Nexus phones and they decoupled a bunch of services from the base OS image. The rest is on the carriers.

 

[Kartajan]

The ones who didn't learn are the HW manufacturers (not called out on the posted article). The fragmentation problem is because MFR's keep "customizing" the OS to where it is not able to take the "vanilla" updates (biggest offender: Amazon Fire OS)

 

[Red Storm]

Google did learn. They made Nexus phones and they decoupled a bunch of services from the base OS image. The rest is on the carriers.

This. If it's something very important to you, the solution is to get a Nexus.

3rd party OEMs don't care about stock Android or timely updates (to an extent). They like to customize the OS because it separates them from the competition, and if a consumer likes a certain look or feel and gets used to it, chances are they'll buy from the same OEM the next go round.

 

[poofyhairguy]

3rd party OEMs don't care about stock Android or timely updates (to an extent).

I don't think that is fair. If anything right now the major OEMs are better about it than ever before.

Samsung has been updating most of their two year old (or less) devices for a while now. So does HTC, so does LG.

We complain only because we know they could be better- the updates could be faster like Nexuses or go to three plus year old phones like Apple does. But compared to what it was like a couple of years ago the whole update issue isn't that bad right now.

 

[ControlD]

I don't think that is fair. If anything right now the major OEMs are better about it than ever before.

The carriers however are just as bad as they always were. Pretty sure my wife's S5 (Verizon) is still running Lollipop. Then again, I'm not sure Samsung has even released that yet.

 

[tvdang7]

well I have had a january security update and now a February updated is supposed to come out for my nexus 6p. I can see how this can further slow down the updating process of the OEM phones. owell

 

[Red Storm]

I don't think that is fair. If anything right now the major OEMs are better about it than ever before.

Samsung has been updating most of their two year old (or less) devices for a while now. So does HTC, so does LG.

We complain only because we know they could be better- the updates could be faster like Nexuses or go to three plus year old phones like Apple does. But compared to what it was like a couple of years ago the whole update issue isn't that bad right now.

They have certainly improved, but I think that's only because of either push from Google and/or increased public awareness and care for the matter. If it were up to them phones would never get patched, the solution would be to just buy a new phone.

Ultimately the only real solution is to get a Nexus if prompt updates are super important to you.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

I wish the carriers and hardware manufacturers would move their "customization" to the google play store and leave the vanilla OS untouched. They could have a customized home screen software (similar to nova launcher for example) with all their bloatware in full force that would be independent of the OS.

This would have advantages for everyone:
OS updates could be rolled out quicker on non-nexus devices.
Manufacturers/carriers would only have to concentrate on how their own apps behave without being overly burdened with responsibility for the entire OS.
End users who did not like the bundled "extras" could easily adjust the phone to their own liking.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I wish the carriers and hardware manufacturers would move their "customization" to the google play store and leave the vanilla OS untouched. They could have a customized home screen software (similar to nova launcher for example) with all their bloatware in full force that would be independent of the OS.

Not only will that not happen, but the OEM skins will get worse as the hardware becomes a commodity and the software is seen as the competitive advantage.

As said before, Nexus or bust.

 

[JimKiler]

Not only will that not happen, but the OEM skins will get worse as the hardware becomes a commodity and the software is seen as the competitive advantage.

As said before, Nexus or bust.

And yet as someone who has used Samsung's Touchwiz and stock andriod, I don't think they are different enough to care therefore instead of a custom OEM ROM i want stock andriod so I can at least get security updates and OS upgrades.

The hardware manufacturers are fooling themselves if they think their custom OS is a differentiator compared to their competitors.

 

[Red Storm]

And yet as someone who has used Samsung's Touchwiz and stock andriod, I don't think they are different enough to care therefore instead of a custom OEM ROM i want stock andriod so I can at least get security updates and OS upgrades.

The hardware manufacturers are fooling themselves if they think their custom OS is a differentiator compared to their competitors.

I know someone who only buys Samsung phones. They aren't too techy, so once they learned how to use their first Touchwiz smartphone, they stuck with what was familiar.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And yet as someone who has used Samsung's Touchwiz and stock andriod, I don't think they are different enough to care therefore instead of a custom OEM ROM i want stock andriod so I can at least get security updates and OS upgrades.

The hardware manufacturers are fooling themselves if they think their custom OS is a differentiator compared to their competitors.

For YOU maybe that is the case, but if focus groups of normal people complained about Touchwiz it would be gone. Samsung and all these OEMs who are successful have skins for a reason.

Honestly stock Android is pretty rough sometimes. We like it but we are nerds who are willing to try new buttons or swipe a notification shade down twice to get at toggles. Samsung has an Easy Mode for a reason, a lot of people can't handle that stuff. They get scared or confused when it isn't obvious.

Plus when you consider Touchwiz has features like multi-window it becomes clear that part of why OEMs make skins is to keep a better parity with Apple on features. Google doesn't sell phones. I mean not really, Nexuses have a small marketshare. So they aren't motivated to match that iOS feature or make this or that task super easy for mom. Google can't provide a total solution for everyone. They make Nexuses for themselves.

Finally most regular users don't like updates. Updates can change things (bad), cause the device to run slower (bad), or simply require enough space to install them (which requires deleting some cat pictures aka bad). Users who aren't us don't like OS updates, they are just a necessary evil in technology from their perspective. Android as a business model has been sold on a lie that updates are not important and I think a lot of users like that lie.

Quite frankly Android is almost a mature market. If fast updates and stock Android brought in a lot of customers companies would do it. But we have seen the Google Play Edition program fail, and Lenovo is pulling back on having that be a Moto trait. We only represent ourselves.

Just be happy the Nexus 6P is such a nice phone.

 

[shabby]

The rest is on the carriers.

Don't hold your breath.

I wish the carriers and hardware manufacturers would move their "customization" to the google play store and leave the vanilla OS untouched. They could have a customized home screen software (similar to nova launcher for example) with all their bloatware in full force that would be independent of the OS.

This would have advantages for everyone:
OS updates could be rolled out quicker on non-nexus devices.
Manufacturers/carriers would only have to concentrate on how their own apps behave without being overly burdened with responsibility for the entire OS.
End users who did not like the bundled "extras" could easily adjust the phone to their own liking.

I wish google would do this, the os preview that google releases mid year would give oem's time to update their apps prior to the release of the os so they would work seamlessly... but then i woke up.

 

[ControlD]

Don't hold your breath.

I'm not. I got a Nexus.

 

[sweenish]

Don't hold your breath.



I wish google would do this, the os preview that google releases mid year would give oem's time to update their apps prior to the release of the os so they would work seamlessly... but then i woke up.

The PDK gives OEMs enough time. They don't care.

The OS preview is for other app devs. They don't care, either.

 

[shabby]

I'm not. I got a Nexus.

Me too.

The PDK gives OEMs enough time. They don't care.

The OS preview is for other app devs. They don't care, either.

But...but... i care!