Android Orphans: Visualizing a Sad History of Support

[gsaldivar]

It's a lot easier to update 2-3 handsets compared to ~20.

^^^ This.

I know scores of people with Android phones and not a single one of them knows or cares about platform fragmentation. With so many choices available, people are finally realizing that there isn't a reason to be tied to a device for 2+ years unless you want to be. Hell, I know people on contract who have swapped 3 or 4 different models just for the hell of it. I just purchased two brand new Motorola Triumphs as gifts for family for less than $500.00. With cutting edge phones rapidly becoming so pervasive and inexpensive, I don't see many Android users wringing their hands over missed updates...

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm comparing apples to apples.

FroYo -> Gingerbread -> HC -> ICS
3.0 -> 4.0 -> 5.0

But thats not what the OP is about.

functionality out of the box

So we should all run dumbphones?

 

[pantsaregood]

Google defense force, unite!

 

[WelshBloke]

Google defense force, unite!

Launch the Apple reality distortion field!

Hey this is fun!

 

[Ns1]

But thats not what the OP is about.

It's about support.

If I had an android device running HC, I'd want whatever feature set is coming in ICS

If I had an iPhone running iOS 5.0, I'd want whatever feature set is coming in 6.0

the end.

 

[WelshBloke]

It's about support.

If I had an android device running HC, I'd want whatever feature set is coming in ICS

If I had an iPhone running iOS 5.0, I'd want whatever feature set is coming in 6.0

the end.

Would you not rather have had the feature set of iOS 6 when you got your iPhone4?

 

[Red Storm]

I'm not sure what your point is. Both iOS and Android have features that the other doesn't currently or might not ever have. It's why they are different operating systems. Both of them get updated to add features. The question here is whether the older devices get those features.

I guess you could boil my point down to this:

A graph like that only makes sense when you're comparing very similar OSes such as WP7 and iOS (both are locked down pretty tight). I don't need as many updates over as long a period of time on my Android phone because it has always had a feature advantage from the day it released (IMHO).

The OP's graph is not even comparing features from these updates, it's just comparing updates. What good is that? By that logic, Windows is the greatest OS of all time. I mean look at all those updates!

 

[badb0y]

Would you not rather have had the feature set of iOS 6 when you got your iPhone4?

What are you talking about? That's like asking the following question:

Would you not rather have had the feature set of ICS when you got your Nexus S?

I guess you could boil my point down to this:

A graph like that only makes sense when you're comparing very similar OSes such as WP7 and iOS (both are locked down pretty tight). I don't need as many updates over as long a period of time on my Android phone because it has always had a feature advantage from the day it released (IMHO).

The OP's graph is not even comparing features from these updates, it's just comparing updates. What good is that? By that logic, Windows is the greatest OS of all time. I mean look at all those updates!

No it makes perfect sense, Apple supports it's devices longer then any other manufacturer.

 

[hans007]

well the fact that the 3GS actaully is a 2 year old phone still being sold is one thing.

they dont sell the mytouch 3g anymore. Hell you cant buy a G2 anymore and it was a fairly fast phone a year ago.

the lifespan of an android phone is mabye a year on the market if that. and if anything and i've had android since the beginning on a G1 with 1.0, there isn't really a HUGE difference between 2.1 and 2.2 and 2.3. Granted 2.2 let you load all the google apps off the market , and 2.2 vs 2.3 i really can't say theres any difference at allf or most phones.

So that said, most users 2.2 and 2.3 are effectively the same especialy with the skins. So what if you weren't on the absoultely latests version, if they are functionally more or less the same most customers won't care. ICS enables some features so i'd hope phones get it , but in the end, if the browsers browse, and most apps support 2.1 and up, most people aren't going to care.

I mean tons of people still use windows XP, vs 7 or vista. and they dont care either, so i don't see the problem here. I mean i for one would alwyas like to be onthe latest, so i will go out of my way to get say a nexus, but in the end most people could care less.

hell my mom has a 3GS and is still running ios 4.0 and she only upgraded to 4.0 because i told her to.

 

[WelshBloke]

What are you talking about? That's like asking the following question:

Would you not rather have had the feature set of ICS when you got your Nexus S?

Thats exactly the same question.

If you sit down and think about it you might work it out. (although red storm may have given the game away)

 

[cronos]

As has been mentioned above, I also think that if you want to describe it this way the only fair comparison would be the Nexus One and Nexus S.

Nexus S isn't even in there because he put an arbitrary cut-off time of July 2010 for some reason. I haven't read the article, but does he explain why? Never mind, I found it, basically he said he's just lazy (and apparently satisfied after selectively finding what he wanted to show, so that's good enough. lol)

 

[Red Storm]

What are you talking about? That's like asking the following question:

Would you not rather have had the feature set of ICS when you got your Nexus S?


No it makes perfect sense, Apple supports it's devices longer then any other manufacturer.

Features > Support

These are phones, they don't stop working when support stops. I'll take the one that features more.

 

[badb0y]

Thats exactly the same question.

If you sit down and think about it you might work it out. (although red storm may have given the game away)

Oh I get the game now, if Android doesn't do it, it isn't necessary.

It's FREE SUPPORT. I never thought someone would argue about the frequency of something that is FREE.

Features > Support

These are phones, they don't stop working when support stops. I'll take the one that features more.

Only feature Android phones have is Google Navigation.

Customization=/= Features

 

[Patranus]

----

 

[WelshBloke]

Oh I get the game now, if Android doesn't do it, it isn't necessary.

It's FREE SUPPORT. I never thought someone would argue about the frequency of something that is FREE.

Look if the iPhone 3g had been released with iOS 6 and then not got any updates would it have been crap because it didnt get any "support"?

(feel free to substitute iOS for Android and iPhone 3g for the appropriate Android phone)

 

[badb0y]

Look if the iPhone 3g had been released with iOS 6 and then not got any updates would it have been crap because it didnt get any "support"?

(feel free to substitute iOS for Android and iPhone 3g for the appropriate Android phone)

That depends in what would come in iOS 7,8,9 wouldn't it?

 

[Anubis]

this about sums it up for me and the majority of the general android users

 

[WelshBloke]

That depends in what would come in iOS 7,8,9 wouldn't it?

So you get my point then?

 

[badb0y]

this about sums it up for me and the majority of the general android users

So you get my point then?

Nope, if the iPhone launched with iOS 10, there would still be an iOS 11 the next year and I would still want an update to the new version as I expect everyone with an Android phone wants an update to ICS.

 

[WelshBloke]

Nope, if the iPhone launched with iOS 10, there would still be an iOS 11 the next year and I would still want an update to the new version as I expect everyone with an Android phone wants an update to ICS.

How about they just put out an update increasing the number in the about section of your phone?

They could do that every month, you'd be ecstatic!

 

[theeedude]

I still use Windows XP at work. As long as it does what I need, I don't really care about the OS version.

 

[badb0y]

How about they just put out an update increasing the number in the about section of your phone?

They could do that every month, you'd be ecstatic!

But that's not what they are doing are they?

Why is it so hard to comprehend this?

 

[WelshBloke]

But that's not what they are doing are they?

No they arent, the important thing is what the OS can do not the number of updates it gets.

Whew glad we got there in the end. :thumbsup:

 

[badb0y]

No they arent, the important thing is what the OS can do not the number of updates it gets.

Whew glad we got there in the end. :thumbsup:

Original point still stands though.

If an update to the OS makes it more functional (Doesn't matter if its iOS or Android) shouldn't phones that came within 1 year ago get the update?

 

[Anubis]

Nope, if the iPhone launched with iOS 10, there would still be an iOS 11 the next year and I would still want an update to the new version as I expect everyone with an Android phone wants an update to ICS.

im fine with you thinking that and being wrong about it