HTC breaks promise to update One S

[OS]

a big reason i hate the whole wireless industry in general. How much was this phone new, $400-500? Which almost everyone paid outright or indirectly. Probably on a 2 year contract, in which case you are stuck with an out of date and out of warranty phone you are still paying for.

 

[Trombe]

600 at tmobile on release day, maybe 400 on a big sale like the ole magenta deal days or fathers day. I remember it well because my family decided to be boneheaded and sign a classic plan contract that actually costs 10 more per month instead of the value plan and refused to migrate before the new uncarrier plans with higher rates and taxes for stuff we don't need...

 

[bradly1101]

a big reason i hate the whole wireless industry in general. How much was this phone new, $400-500? Which almost everyone paid outright or indirectly. Probably on a 2 year contract, in which case you are stuck with an out of date and out of warranty phone you are still paying for.

Out of date in two years? Man I wish I was that rich.

I don't go for contracts though. Either I have the money or I don't.

Edit: I think $500 is perfectly reasonable for a micro-miniaturized computer that can predict my text this well, or recognize what I'm saying, etc. Just having a camera/camcorder this good and this convenient has proven priceless in historic ways.

 

[Graze]

This is a major reason why I bought a Nexus 4.

I also bought the Nexus 4 for near guaranteed updates for 2 years.

I had an LG G2X before that and while the hardware was more than capable of running ICS LG never release if for the phone. They only realised ICS for the International variant this year.

 

[kaerflog]

Android at this stage is like when Windows went from XP>Vista>7.
Is there any new features that is a must have ??
I mean once the One S got the JellyBean updates, I wasn't expecting much else.
I still have the One S and honestly I can still use it on a daily basis and be 100% happy.

 

[OS]

Out of date in two years? Man I wish I was that rich.

I don't go for contracts though. Either I have the money or I don't.

Edit: I think $500 is perfectly reasonable for a micro-miniaturized computer that can predict my text this well, or recognize what I'm saying, etc. Just having a camera/camcorder this good and this convenient has proven priceless in historic ways.

you wouldn't have to be rich to upgrade if you weren't being gouged.

what you think is "reasonable" is secondary to the fact that if you've ever seen isuppli reports, the gross margins on high end smartphones is like 100-200%. Compared to a small tablet at a "mere" ~50%.

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

Since Samsung owners got 4.3 before your precious Nexus did, you've already lost this argument.

When I said 'version of Android' I actually meant, y'know, one that is finished and comes from a reputable source.

 

[Wildman107]

Android at this stage is like when Windows went from XP>Vista>7.
Is there any new features that is a must have ??

You can't think of any must have features that Windows 7 offers over Windows XP?

And you're posting on Anandtech?

Sorry I'm not trying to be rude, i'm just confused.

 

[KeithP]

Hey Dari - How many of those phones did Samsung publicly promise to update?

And the answer to that question is why people are ragging on HTC.

The announcement in question happened in Feb. 2013, the phone initially started shipping a year before that. It seems extremely unlikely anyone purchased this phone because of their promise to update it.

-KeithP

 

[Wildman107]

The announcement in question happened in Feb. 2013, the phone initially started shipping a year before that. It seems extremely unlikely anyone purchased this phone because of their promise to update it.

-KeithP

Keith - I agree with you that majority of consumers bought the phone because it is a great phone. However, my main beef with HTC is that they cut support for it so quickly.

..... We should hold vendors to a higher standard than HTC's. How else could you get them to change if you don't elevate your expectations?

I'll compare it to buying a video card. Could you imagine buying a video card that wouldn't get driver updates from AMD or Nvidia? The culture and expectations we have around driver updates would never allow for that to happen. The same should be true for Android phones.

Consumers should expect a minimum of two years worth or updates. No excuses.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Here's what could happen...

Apple finally pulls there head out and offers a larger phone with higher resolution that can compete with Sammy and HTC. If they do this I could easily see myself going back so I don't have to count on the update quagmire that is Android. If Apple does the following 3 things I'll dump Android in a NY minute...

1. Makes the larger, 5"ish phone with 1920x1080 res or there about's

2. Improves iOS to provide the breadth of function Android has

3. Continues to update devises with new OS for 2-3 years from release


I've bad mouthed Apple plenty in the past but Android deserves its share of abuse to and timely rollout of updates is at the top of the list of Androids failings. Worse, some devices are orphaned the day they're released...


Brian

 

[maevinj]

Improves iOS to provide the breadth of function Android has

Can you expound upon this? Not trolling, just curious as I've never used Android.

 

[ultimatebob]

I figured that everyone had this figured out already, but it bears repeating. If you want a phone with the latest OS from Google, you NEED to get an unlocked Nexus phone from the Play Store.

Anything else will have bloatware on it from the vendor or carrier, and will take forever to get OS updates.

 

[gmaster456]

I completely disagree with your post. We should hold vendors to a higher standard than HTC's. How else could you get them to change if you don't elevate your expectations?

I'll compare it to buying a video card. Could you imagine buying a video card that wouldn't get driver updates from AMD or Nvidia? The culture and expectations we have around driver updates would never allow for that to happen. The same should be true for Android phones.

Things should be different but as of right now what I said is the reality currently.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

He must have meant the Incredible LTE, which had the same Snapdragon S4 that was in the GS3 (and, incidentally, the One S).

I don't think you sh ould use US only Verizon phones as apoint of comparison. If you want to compare the GS3 with an HTC phone, it's the One X. And the One X IS getting 4.2.2.

 

[Commodus]

Here's what could happen...
1. Makes the larger, 5"ish phone with 1920x1080 res or there about's

2. Improves iOS to provide the breadth of function Android has

3. Continues to update devises with new OS for 2-3 years from release

Number 1 is possible, although don't assume that it'll happen this year; so far, the leaks suggest an "iPhone 5S." It'd likely be a lot faster, with a better camera and other possible upgrades, but Apple has an every-other-year pattern with major design changes.

On number 2: careful. Apple should obviously address issues like multitasking and other clearly universal features, but it shouldn't be striving to closely imitate Android. We need an OS that people can choose precisely it's different than everything else and works best for them.

And 3... well, 3 will likely be Apple's perpetual advantage over Android. When it controls both the hardware and software, it can easily support older iOS devices and upgrade everyone as soon as a new version is ready. Unless Google changes its mind on what devices exist or what software they have to run, you'll see fiascoes like the cancelled HTC One S upgrade for as long as Android exists.

 

[kaerflog]

You can't think of any must have features that Windows 7 offers over Windows XP?

And you're posting on Anandtech?

Sorry I'm not trying to be rude, i'm just confused.

NONE. And I can honestly speak for all the casual users out there.
The majority of people use their computer for surfing the net, games, and a little bit of productivities like myself and I couldn't tell you what I would miss using XP vs Windows 7.
I have a One S running 4.1.1 and a Nexus 4 running 4.2.2.
Theres not one bit of difference to me.
So tell me what I'm missing With Android 4.2 vs 4.1 ??

 

[zerogear]

NONE. And I can honestly speak for all the casual users out there.
The majority of people use their computer for surfing the net, games, and a little bit of productivities like myself and I couldn't tell you what I would miss using XP vs Windows 7.
I have a One S running 4.1.1 and a Nexus 4 running 4.2.2.
Theres not one bit of difference to me.
So tell me what I'm missing With Android 4.2 vs 4.1 ??

Nothing really, and most people won't know the difference between 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3. And personally after the GB -> ICS jump, as long as the phone OS is 4.x+, I'm fine with it.

A lot of the new features between 4.x versions are just little tweaks here and there, you don't really miss it unless you're actively looking for them.

 

[lothar]

Here's what could happen...

Apple finally pulls there head out and offers a larger phone with higher resolution that can compete with Sammy and HTC. If they do this I could easily see myself going back so I don't have to count on the update quagmire that is Android. If Apple does the following 3 things I'll dump Android in a NY minute...

1. Makes the larger, 5"ish phone with 1920x1080 res or there about's

2. Improves iOS to provide the breadth of function Android has

3. Continues to update devises with new OS for 2-3 years from release


I've bad mouthed Apple plenty in the past but Android deserves its share of abuse to and timely rollout of updates is at the top of the list of Androids failings. Worse, some devices are orphaned the day they're released...


Brian

2.) Will never happen unless you jailbreak. Apple locks out many parts of the system to apps, and they . If Apple simply ignored the jailbreakers rather than trying to declare war on them, I think

3.) Apple practices selective fragmentation. Apple's updates for old devices are nothing but a number change for the most part with no new features added. Yes, they get to advertise that 90% of their users are on the latest version of iOS(6.x.x).
But how many percent of their users can use Siri on the latest OS?
How many percent of their users have turn by turn navigation on the latest OS?
How many percent of their users can use FaceTime on the latest OS?
They of course don't advertise those percentage numbers.

Check out all the various things missing on iOS 6 for different devices...
Notice that the 3GS, despite being on the same latest OS as everything else(iOS6) doesn't have ANY of the features listed in that image.

iOS updates seem like nothing but a number at this point after the device turns 1 year old for the most part.
I'm sure if HTC decides to provide an update to this phone calling it "Android 4.2.2" when nothing changed with no added 4.2.2 features that they will completely satisfy you?

 

[lothar]

I don't think you should use US only Verizon phones as apoint of comparison. If you want to compare the GS3 with an HTC phone, it's the One X. And the One X IS getting 4.2.2.

The One S has the same exact CPU, GPU, RAM, and internals as the One X and Galaxy S3.
The only difference is that the One S has a qHD screen and a lower MP front facing camera...That's it.
http://www.theverge.com/products/compare/5239/5236/5237/5251
There is absolutely no excuse at this point why they should bring it for one and not the other except laziness given it's the same hardware.

That's only if HTC doesn't decide to change their minds.

That said I don't really feel much remorse for HTC One S users especially when almost everyone knows what a "Nexus" is by now.

 

[zerogear]

2.) Will never happen unless you jailbreak. Apple locks out many parts of the system to apps, and they . If Apple simply ignored the jailbreakers rather than trying to declare war on them, I think

3.) Apple practices selective fragmentation. Apple's updates for old devices are nothing but a number change for the most part with no new features added. Yes, they get to advertise that 90% of their users are on the latest version of iOS(6.x.x).
But how many percent of their users can use Siri on the latest OS?
How many percent of their users have turn by turn navigation on the latest OS?
How many percent of their users can use FaceTime on the latest OS?
They of course don't advertise those percentage numbers.

Check out all the various things missing on iOS 6 for different devices...
Notice that the 3GS, despite being on the same latest OS as everything else(iOS6) doesn't have ANY of the features listed in that image.

iOS updates seem like nothing but a number at this point after the device turns 1 year old for the most part.
I'm sure if HTC decides to provide an update to this phone calling it "Android 4.2.2" when nothing changed with no added 4.2.2 features that they will completely satisfy you?

That's what I've been saying, and no one seems to get it. All they seem to want is that little version number on the about devices page to go up.