Android Infographic: How the versions stack up

[JimmiG]

I think it's true that most Android users don't care what version they're running. Also, the customizations that phone manufacturers put on them means there's a bigger difference between an HTC phone and a Samsung phone running the same version of Android than between two Samsung phones running different versions of Android, for example. You're not really buying an "Android phone" so much as Samsung or HTC or whatever, that just happens to be based off Android. The only real "Android phones" are those in the Nexus series IMO.

I actually think iPhone users are more aware of what version they're running. Apple promotes and markets new iOS releases in a completely different way to how Android phone manufacturers market new versions of Android:
http://www.apple.com/ios/

There's a reason for that: Apple is still selling the 3GS, 2.5 years after its release. In order to compete with the onslaught of cheap Android phones, they have to give the impression that the 3GS is still cutting edge, as long as you're running the latest iOS.

Meanwhile, Android manufacturers seem to release new, slightly redesigned but almost identical mid-range and low-end phones every 4 months. They *want* to obsolete old devices in order to sell new ones.

 

[lothar]

That's....kind of a big step and a lot of work, hardly automatic. iMessage can do both sms and mms with live delivered, read, user typing notifications. Its also transparent to regular text messages. Hardly what Android had for years or even now.

How is that a "big" step and "a lot of work"?
Porting your number to Google is no different from someone porting their number from Verizon to AT&T or Sprint. Google and the Carriers do the leg work for you. It only takes a day to port your number.

On Android, Google Voice is automatic and can be completely integrated into the phone if the user wants, and there's no need to open a stupid app. On iOS, Google Voice is not so maybe that's where your confusion that it's "hardly automatic" is coming from.

iMessage only works with iOS users. If you're on iOS and you text somebody that isn't on iOS, it uses your text messaging plan which costs $$$. So yes, iMessage still has ways to go in that regard. With Google Voice, it doesn't matter what the person has, it's completely free.
iMessage only bypasses the carriers if the user you're messaging has iOS5. Google Voice completely bypasses the carriers regardless of what the other user has, meaning you'd be charged $0 by your carrier all the time. With iMessage, you're charged $0 if the person is on iOS5 and charged whatever your carrier rate is if they aren't on iOS5.

There are also MANY features of Google Voice besides what I've mentioned. http://www.google.com/mobile/voice/
I no longer buy phone cards to call my grandparents living abroad. Compare Google Voice and Skype calling rates also.

 

[lothar]

I would love to port my number to GV, but there's no way I could do that if it kills my current contract. Unlimited data is worth much more than the extra $5 for 250 texts on my plan.

http://slickdeals.net/f/3671278-Get-unlimited-data-on-Verizon-Wireless-ymmv?

This was first done secretly by a lot of people on XDA for many months, then SlickDeals reported it a month ago and many people had great success with doing it.
Unfortunately, the idiots at Gizmodo had to blabber their stupid mouth a week ago, and Verizon caught on. Anyone who tries to signup now or signed up a week ago will hit a wall. I haven't seen any evidence that people who did this trick when it was on SlickDeals a month ago have been downgraded, and neither have the people on XDA that discovered this flaw initially 4-5 months ago.

$5 for 250 texts isn't a bad deal. I had that when I was with Verizon and I would stay with that.
The problem now is AT&T only offers $20 unlimited texting plan now, so if you're signup to them as a new customer that's all you can get. I'm not sure what Verizon offers now, but if you're in a grandfathered plan for texting and data, stay with them.

Your only choice is to get a Google Voice number from Google, and text everyone that you've changed your number if you don't want to lose your unlimited data. I'm sure a few people will still be calling and texting you on your old number despite you telling them that.

 

[MrX8503]

How is that a "big" step and "a lot of work"?
Porting your number to Google is no different from someone porting their number from Verizon to AT&T or Sprint. Google and the Carriers do the leg work for you. It only takes a day to port your number.

On Android, Google Voice is automatic and can be completely integrated into the phone if the user wants, and there's no need to open a stupid app. On iOS, Google Voice is not so maybe that's where your confusion that it's "hardly automatic" is coming from.

iMessage only works with iOS users. If you're on iOS and you text somebody that isn't on iOS, it uses your text messaging plan which costs $$$. So yes, iMessage still has ways to go in that regard. With Google Voice, it doesn't matter what the person has, it's completely free.
iMessage only bypasses the carriers if the user you're messaging has iOS5. Google Voice completely bypasses the carriers regardless of what the other user has, meaning you'd be charged $0 by the carriers all the time. With iMessage, you're charged $0 if the person is on iOS5 and charged whatever your carrier rate is if they aren't.

There are also MANY features of Google Voice besides what I've mentioned. http://www.google.com/mobile/voice/
I no longer buy phone cards to call my grandparents living abroad. Compare Google Voice and Skype calling rates also.

Its a big step and a lot of work because most people won't go through the trouble of porting their number. We we're talking about BBM like service, no one is going to port their number to make it more automatic. For BB its baked right in and for iPhone, users just have to upgrade to iOS5. For Android you're suggesting a number port? lol

Google does have the completely free capability. That's an important feature to you, but that's not what I'm addressing. You made the claim that Android has been doing it for years when iMessage is completely different.

 

[Red Storm]

http://slickdeals.net/f/3671278-Get-unlimited-data-on-Verizon-Wireless-ymmv?

This was first done secretly by a lot of people on XDA for many months, then SlickDeals reported it a month ago and many people had great success with doing it.
Unfortunately, the idiots at Gizmodo had to blabber their stupid mouth a week ago, and Verizon caught on. Anyone who tries to signup now or signed up a week ago will hit a wall. I haven't seen any evidence that people who did this trick when it was on SlickDeals a month ago have been downgraded, and neither have the people on XDA that discovered this flaw initially 4-5 months ago.

$5 for 250 texts isn't a bad deal. I had that when I was with Verizon and I would stay with that.
The problem now is AT&T only offers $20 unlimited texting plan now, so if you're signup to them as a new customer that's all you can get. I'm not sure what Verizon offers now, but if you're in a grandfathered plan for texting and data, stay with them.

Your only choice is to get a Google Voice number from Google, and text everyone that you've changed your number if you don't want to lose your unlimited data. I'm sure a few people will still be calling and texting you on your old number despite you telling them that.

Yeah I've already got my grandfathered unlimited data, and of my 250 sms limit per month, I use maybe ~20 of them. I already do have a GV number and have used it some (I find it's great for using on Craigslist ads), but haven't made the step of telling everyone I communicate with to start texting that number... mostly because they all use email, GTalk, or actual calls. The only people that actually text me are my parents, so I guess I should tell them.

 

[lothar]

Its a big step and a lot of work because most people won't go through the trouble of porting their number. We we're talking about BBM like service, no one is going to port their number to make it more automatic. For BB its baked right in and for iPhone, users just have to upgrade to iOS5. For Android you're suggesting a number port? lol

Google does have the completely free capability. That's an important feature to you, but that's not what I'm addressing. You made the claim that Android has been doing it for years when iMessage is completely different.

iMessage is not something completely different.
Google Voice + Gtalk = iMessage - All these other features that exists on Google Voice.
Why is it that when Apple does something that already exists, it's considered "completely" different? I don't get that. It's different, yes. But not 'completely'.

Google Voice is more than just a "messaging" app/feature.

 

[ponyo]

Do I need iMessage? No. Do I need Google Voice? Yes. Sums up the usefulness of the product.

 

[lothar]

Yeah I've already got my grandfathered unlimited data, and of my 250 sms limit per month, I use maybe ~20 of them. I already do have a GV number and have used it some (I find it's great for using on Craigslist ads), but haven't made the step of telling everyone I communicate with to start texting that number... mostly because they all use email, GTalk, or actual calls. The only people that actually text me are my parents, so I guess I should tell them.

When I had Verizon I only recieved ~10 SMS a month.
I also was on your same $5 for 250 messages plan(I don't think they offer that anymore).

My Google Voice number is my "personal" number and linked to my "personal" email address.
My carrier's number or a Google Voice number linked to my "junk" email account is what I use for Craigslist ads and other junk.

My US contacts also usually use actual calls, not Gtalk or SMS.
But it's nice to know I don't have to pay $20/month for unlimited SMS.
My foreign contacts use SMS and email. It's cheaper for me to call them than for them to call me.
My mom and most other grown adults Age 45+ never send me text messages. That's too complicated for them so they just call and leave a message if I'm not available.
I've had a cellphone since 2004...My mom has sent me zero SMS text messages since I've had a phone. Lets not even talk about Gtalk.

lol, seeing how most of your friends are still using SMS, I guess that's why you never heard of it. Turns out that my group of friends were desparate to avoid SMS fees well before Google voice started porting numbers that they all splintered off to TextFree, WhatsApp, GroupMe, Facebook Messenger, Gtalk etc....

I'm waiting for them to battle it out.

I've stopped going out of my way to convince people to change.
Let them battle it out if they want, I'll still get free SMS messages while I wait for whatever the eventual winner would be.

I'm not interested in installing 1,000 different TextFree, WhatsApp, GroupMe, Facebook Messenger, Gtalk, Google+ Messenger, or any paid programs/apps etc...
I only use Gtalk because it came with my phone. If it did not, I probably wouldn't have installed it.

If Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Blackberry can unite on this feature, we'd all be able to stick it to the carriers pretty quick.
Unfortunately, because they can't(or don't want to for whatever competitive reason), we're left splintered off into little groups with no effectiveness.

 

[TuxDave]

As long as the phone works, it works. Because #1....ITS A PHONE! As long as it's not crashing or giving them problems, they are ok with it.

Heh, funny, cuz that's the #1 reason I recommend an iPhone for Joe Public. I hate being tech support (go to the Apple store!)

ICS may be much better but back on the 2.2 days, the war stories that my coworkers would tell me on all the stuff they had to do to improve battery life or stop the thing from lagging was enough to convince me to stay away from that generation until they cleaned it all up.

 

[MrX8503]

iMessage is not something completely different.
Google Voice + Gtalk = iMessage - All these other features that exists on Google Voice.
Why is it that when Apple does something that already exists, it's considered "completely" different? I don't get that. It's different, yes. But not 'completely'.

Google Voice is more than just a "messaging" app/feature.

Can GoogleVoice + Gtalk do this?

iMessage can do both sms and mms with live delivered, read, user typing notifications. Its also transparent to regular text messages. Hardly what Android had for years or even now.

I don't have to port a number. It's not completely different, but Android has not been doing what iMessage is doing for years. Period.

Why do Android fans always say "its been done for years" when its not the same thing.

 

[lothar]

Can GoogleVoice + Gtalk do this?

iMessage can do both sms and mms with live delivered, read, user typing notifications. Its also transparent to regular text messages. Hardly what Android had for years or even now.

I don't have to port a number. It's not completely different, but Android has not been doing what iMessage is doing for years. Period.

It can do everything you listed, and much more...except the MMS part.
As I've already stated earlier in the thread, Google is already working at enabling that feature.
http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/first-steps-towards-mms-support.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=goog...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Last I checked, iMessage doesn't do live delivered, read, user typing notifications to non-iMessage users.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Last I checked, iMessage doesn't do live delivered, read, user typing notifications to non-iMessage users.

That's because iMessage is built into Messages. So non-iMessage users get SMS/MMS. iMessages is for those who live in the ecosystem, plus most people have already seen that their text message numbers have gone down due to iMessage.

Not everyone wants to use Google Voice.

 

[cheezy321]

Do I need iMessage? No. Do I need Google Voice? Yes. Sums up the usefulness of the product.

lolwut?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Everyone phone has SMS capabilities, so that switching feature iMessage has isn't really that important. If you have an iPhone, you can send and receive SMS for free without iMessage. If you have any dumb phone, you can send and receive SMS messages.

Google Voice and Gtalk isn't any different from iMessage.
I already explained it earlier: http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32811409&postcount=54
For those that still don't get it or have comprehension difficulties, Google Voice + Gtalk = iMessage.
So yes, they are completely comparable.

No one I know uses Whatsapp. I've never even heard about it until now that you mentioned it. Everyone I know still uses SMS which is why I use Google Voice.

Uhm. You don't get it do you? iMessage includes SMS and messaging. It seemlessly switches to SMS and vice non SMS.

You're saying from a user standpoint Voice+Gtalk = iMessage in terms of being able to do the same thing. Except you have to juggle with it. For those who use smartphones, you Gtalk them. For those who don't, you SMS them. iMessage does this all for you in one app with one interface. The switching feature IS important because it allows you to communicate with SMS if necessary and NOT via SMS if not necessary without you doing ANYTHING.

And once again Gtalk and GVoice aren't the same as iMessage because iMessage in its non SMS mode behaves more like an app say like Whatsapp or Kakao or Kik Messenger or BBM. I realize that not many people in the US use these apps and we're more accustomed to Voice / GTalk, but they're quite different actually. Google voice uses a different number, and requires you to port your number entirely. Using it to text is more like using a text app like Text Free which gives you a phone #. Sure this is an advantage of Google Voice in not wasting SMSes from your plan, but at the same time it's a totally different system.

If anything iMessage is SMS + Google Messenger. Messenger is still missing video, location, and audio capabilities, but it has group messaging and pictures so far.

And not everyone wants GTalk on pushing battery all day long. The other difference is Gtalk puts you online all the time. Unless you use Gmail with the Labs addon showing an Android icon, people can be messaging you left and right while you're on a phone if Gtalk is your primary IM client to begin with. This isn't necessarily bad, but as I addressed before using Gtalk on your phone is the same as having an AIM or MSN push client on your phone. This is IM that you can take to your computer. That's far different than an app like Whatsapp, Google Messenger or iMessage where it's strictly phone to phone (well iPads + Android tablets too).

Essentially iMessage is a new messaging platform like Whatsapp / Google Messenger / Kik / BBM. The only difference is it integrates SMS also. All these Gtalk+Gvoice analogies are just completely off.

Last I checked, iMessage doesn't do live delivered, read, user typing notifications to non-iMessage users.

Because when did SMS have such capabilities to begin with? -_____- name ONE phone/platform that can do that with SMS. NONE. You have to use another app like Messenger/Whatsapp/Kik/BBM

 

[MrX8503]

The switching feature IS important because it allows you to communicate with SMS if necessary and NOT via SMS if not necessary without you doing ANYTHING.

Somehow they'll say that's a disadvantage though, lol. GVoice and Gtalk has its place, but its certainly NOT iMessage, like you said.

They're both different and offer different things.

 

[Dulanic]

You guys are seriously still debating this stupid shit after 2 days? Both have good and bad portions. Now stfu about messaging it's off topic.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You guys are seriously still debating this stupid shit after 2 days? Both have good and bad portions. Now stfu about messaging it's off topic.

its because someone mentioned gtalk + gvoice.

It's like saying voice dictation replaces all keyboards/mice. Voice dictation has its uses, but keyboard/mouse is still important for other things even if it isn't word processing (gaming, photoshop commands, etc.)

Point is Gtalk+GVoice != iMessage.

Either way, this whole thread just shows that Android has serious upgrade/version issues, and a LOT of improvement is needed.