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KitKat release

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lothar said:
What more do you expect Google to do with the Galaxy Nexus when Texas Instruments has closed up shop, fired their employees, and is no longer in the Mobile SoC business ?
Click to expand...

Actually TI was very open and open source with their SoCs. If Google wanted to put the resources into it they could almost build their own updated drivers.

I think the issue is more that the SoC is dated. The GNex was always the iPhone 4 of Android- not enough GPU for the PPI.
 
I just found out my Nexus 7 isn't getting Kit Kat 4.4 for several weeks. Uh, why? I know it's not the end of the world, but this seems odd. It's not as if it's a carrier-modded device. It's a stock Google Nexus device after all.
 
Eug said:
I just found out my Nexus 7 isn't getting Kit Kat 4.4 for several weeks. Uh, why? I know it's not the end of the world, but this seems odd. It's not as if it's a carrier-modded device. It's a stock Google Nexus device after all.
Click to expand...

That is sad. 🙁

Now it is a race- who gets Kitkat first my S4 or N7?

Edit:

And I don't get the 512 RAM optimization thing. Any 512MB device got dumped with Jellybean. No OEM is gonna go "Lets update this thing from ICS or GB or 4.4!!" It seems like a feature that only helps those with old phones and third party ROMs. I might upgrade my Nook Color from GB for example.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/android-kitkat-on-nexus-4-and-nexus-7-in-weeks-says-google-50012642/
 
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bearxor said:
I don't know what that has to do with devices that have already been manufactured and are out in the wild. Phones that are, even today, still being actively sold by carriers.

But, I suppose the Nexus One (21 months), Nexus S (22 months) and the Galaxy Nexus (22 months?) are enough history to know one thing now. Buying a Nexus gives you roughly two years of support. That's better than Google's committed 18 months, I suppose.

Of course, the decentralized nature of the OS, especially for newer devices like the GNex and N4, make this much less of an issue than it is on iOS.

And if they keep up their Nexus releases every year with the awesome hardware baseline they started with the N4 and kept going to the N5, I don't think anyone here would really complain about having to shell out $350 a year for the latest and greatest Nexus phone.
Click to expand...

Nexus One - 5 January 2010; Android 2.3.6 released 2 September 2011
Nexus S - 16 December 2010; Android 4.1.2 released 9 October 2012
Galaxy Nexus - 17 November 2011; Android 4.3 released 24 July 2013
Nexus 4 - 13 November 2012; Android 4.4 released 31 October 2013
Nexus 5 - 31 October 2013; Android 4.4 released 31 October 2013

So..

Nexus One = 1 year, 7 months, 28 days
Nexus S = 1 year, 9 months, 23 days
Galaxy Nexus = 1 year, 8 months, 7 days
Nexus 4 = 11 months, 18 days (so far)
Nexus 5 = 1 day (so far)
 
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poofyhairguy said:
That is sad. 🙁

Now it is a race- who gets Kitkat first my S4 or N7?

Edit:

And I don't get the 512 RAM optimization thing. Any 512MB device got dumped with Jellybean. No OEM is gonna go "Lets update this thing from ICS or GB or 4.4!!" It seems like a feature that only helps those with old phones and third party ROMs. I might upgrade my Nook Color from GB for example.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/android-kitkat-on-nexus-4-and-nexus-7-in-weeks-says-google-50012642/
Click to expand...

Nook Color is TI OMAP and so is the HP Touchpad :|
I hope there is a ROM for both.
 
poofyhairguy said:
That is sad. 🙁

Now it is a race- who gets Kitkat first my S4 or N7?

Edit:

And I don't get the 512 RAM optimization thing. Any 512MB device got dumped with Jellybean. No OEM is gonna go "Lets update this thing from ICS or GB or 4.4!!" It seems like a feature that only helps those with old phones and third party ROMs. I might upgrade my Nook Color from GB for example.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/android-kitkat-on-nexus-4-and-nexus-7-in-weeks-says-google-50012642/
Click to expand...

To be honest I am not overly suprised by the delay for N7. I have a feeling that something didn't go quite to plan on this release. It seems to me that Google was under a lot of pressure to deliver here and likely focused solely on the phone in order to meet this "deadline" - KitKat on N7 probably isn't finished yet. I'd bet it runs a 4.4.x instead of pure 4.4.

A feeling that there will also be an OTA bugfix update to 4.4 bringing it to 4.4.x in the coming weeks... but... just a feeling. Not an expert.
 
poofyhairguy said:
Edit:

And I don't get the 512 RAM optimization thing. Any 512MB device got dumped with Jellybean. No OEM is gonna go "Lets update this thing from ICS or GB or 4.4!!" It seems like a feature that only helps those with old phones and third party ROMs. I might upgrade my Nook Color from GB for example.
Click to expand...
Google is thinking about the devices that will fight with the Lumia 520/525 in the <120$ segment of the market. Arguably Nokia was/is offering a better value in that segment.
In short 4.4 wants to kill the competition in the low end.
 
cbrunny said:
To be honest I am not overly suprised by the delay for N7. I have a feeling that something didn't go quite to plan on this release. It seems to me that Google was under a lot of pressure to deliver here and likely focused solely on the phone in order to meet this "deadline" - KitKat on N7 probably isn't finished yet. I'd bet it runs a 4.4.x instead of pure 4.4.

A feeling that there will also be an OTA bugfix update to 4.4 bringing it to 4.4.x in the coming weeks... but... just a feeling. Not an expert.
Click to expand...

I think there is already a 4.4.1 update, as soon as you turn on the N5, so you could be right.
 
poofyhairguy said:
That is sad. 🙁

Now it is a race- who gets Kitkat first my S4 or N7?

Edit:

And I don't get the 512 RAM optimization thing. Any 512MB device got dumped with Jellybean. No OEM is gonna go "Lets update this thing from ICS or GB or 4.4!!" It seems like a feature that only helps those with old phones and third party ROMs. I might upgrade my Nook Color from GB for example.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/android-kitkat-on-nexus-4-and-nexus-7-in-weeks-says-google-50012642/
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people, blogs, and articles are reading the whole low end device can be upgraded to 4.4 .. per the linked article ..
The advantage there is that -- in theory at least -- a broader range of old smart phones can be updated to the latest version, instead of wallowing with an out-of-date operating system.
Click to expand...

I think the lower requirements are for the new, low end phones sold in BRIC countries. From what i read, those devices are low end and run Android 2.3. Google wants to deprecate that OS version and loosen the requirements, report that Android 4.xx is now king .. etc e-peen pie charts ..
 
senseamp said:
Google is not even supporting it's own Galaxy Nexus on 4.4, and that has 1GB.
Click to expand...

As was stated maybe have something to do with the fact that is uses a process that is not supported by its manufacturer(TI killed the omap).
I am guessing KitKat may use features that the older drivers may not support(and Google doesn't want to do a hack job at it).

So in this case ram has nothing to do with it!!
 
kpkp said:
Google is thinking about the devices that will fight with the Lumia 520/525 in the <120$ segment of the market. Arguably Nokia was/is offering a better value in that segment.
In short 4.4 wants to kill the competition in the low end.
Click to expand...

Ah good point. Get rid of GB.
 
bearxor said:
I don't know what that has to do with devices that have already been manufactured and are out in the wild. Phones that are, even today, still being actively sold by carriers.

But, I suppose the Nexus One (21 months), Nexus S (22 months) and the Galaxy Nexus (22 months?) are enough history to know one thing now. Buying a Nexus gives you roughly two years of support. That's better than Google's committed 18 months, I suppose.

Of course, the decentralized nature of the OS, especially for newer devices like the GNex and N4, make this much less of an issue than it is on iOS.

And if they keep up their Nexus releases every year with the awesome hardware baseline they started with the N4 and kept going to the N5, I don't think anyone here would really complain about having to shell out $350 a year for the latest and greatest Nexus phone.
Click to expand...

Looking back, 4.1.2 ran the best on GNex, 4.2 was just horribly slow, and 4.3 was better than 4.2 but not as smooth as 4.1.2. So since I bought the GNex last summer, I haven't really gotten an update that was as good as the 4.1.2 it shipped with. It has been downhill, and now Google has foreclosed on any opportunity to redeem itself in my eyes. I will keep the GNex till it dies, but it could be my last Nexus, since without guaranteed OS update support they don't have much else going for them. I may give iPhone a chance after that.
 
Graze said:
As was stated maybe have something to do with the fact that is uses a process that is not supported by its manufacturer(TI killed the omap).
I am guessing KitKat may use features that the older drivers may not support(and Google doesn't want to do a hack job at it).

So in this case ram has nothing to do with it!!
Click to expand...

Why is it my problem? Ti is still around, it's not bankrupt. Google should have contractually obligated TI to support their chips even if they decide to not sell them anymore, and if they haven't, then they need to take care of it, not make it my problem. I bought a phone from Google, not TI.
 
senseamp said:
Looking back, 4.1.2 ran the best on GNex, 4.2 was just horribly slow, and 4.3 was better than 4.2 but not as smooth as 4.1.2. So since I bought the GNex last summer, I haven't really gotten an update that was as good as the 4.1.2 it shipped with. It has been downhill, and now Google has foreclosed on any opportunity to redeem itself in my eyes. I will keep the GNex till it dies, but it could be my last Nexus, since without guaranteed OS update support they don't have much else going for them. I may give iPhone a chance after that.
Click to expand...

Hopefully you got that Galaxy Nexus used or at ridiculous price.
That phone was already a year old and running on hardware that was old even when launched. The Nexus 4 is now is a much better bet than the Galaxy Nexus was a year ago.

senseamp said:
Why is it my problem? Ti is still around, it's not bankrupt. Google should have contractually obligated TI to support their chips even if they decide to not sell them anymore, and if they haven't, then they need to take care of it, not make it my problem. I bought a phone from Google, not TI.
Click to expand...

LOL buddy, it sure as hell is your problem now and not Google's.
I dont even think google cares if you bought another device from then again.


Edit:// This phone is built by Samsung...not Google and they are the one I would think would be negotiating for support when they made the phone.
I dont think such a small order of chips from TI(for the Galaxy Nexus) would get them to pour years of support into it either. There is no financial gain there but financial loss.
 
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senseamp said:
Looking back, 4.1.2 ran the best on GNex, 4.2 was just horribly slow, and 4.3 was better than 4.2 but not as smooth as 4.1.2. So since I bought the GNex last summer, I haven't really gotten an update that was as good as the 4.1.2 it shipped with. It has been downhill, and now Google has foreclosed on any opportunity to redeem itself in my eyes. I will keep the GNex till it dies, but it could be my last Nexus, since without guaranteed OS update support they don't have much else going for them. I may give iPhone a chance after that.
Click to expand...

To be fair, it does suck the Gnex didn't even last through the 4.Xs.
 
Graze said:
Hopefully you got that Galaxy Nexus used or at ridiculous price.
That phone was already a year old and running on hardware that was old even when launched. The Nexus 4 is now is a much better bet than the Galaxy Nexus was a year ago.
Click to expand...
Given the support GNex got, I don't think any Google device is a good bet anymore.
LOL buddy, it sure as hell is your problem now and not Google's.
I dont even think google cares if you bought another device from then again.


Edit:// This phone is built by Samsung...not Google and they are the one I would think would be negotiating for support when they made the phone.
I dont think such a small order of chips from TI(for the Galaxy Nexus) would get them to pour years of support into it either. There is not financial gain there but financial loss.
Click to expand...

I bought it from Google Play. I am Google's customer, not TI's or Samsung's. TI may have made the chip and Samsung made the phone, but Google is the one who sets the requirements for Nexus devices, it signs off on everything. If Google demanded longer chipset support, either TI would have agreed to it and had to keep enough people to support it, or they wouldn't and a different company's chip would have been used in the GNex. In any case, Google failed to get in writing from suppliers things that it was implicitly promising to its customers. Galaxy Nexus was sold until less than a year ago, so there are customers who won't even get the promised Nexus OS update support for a year.
 
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senseamp said:
I bought it from Google Play. Google I am Google's customer, not TI's or Samsung's. TI may have made the chip and Samsung made the phone, but Google is the one who sets the requirements for Nexus devices, it signs off on everything. If Google demanded longer chipset support, either TI would have agreed to it and had to keep enough people to support it, or they wouldn't and a different company's chip would have been used in the GNex. In any case, Google failed to get in writing from suppliers things that it was implicitly promising to its customers. Galaxy Nexus was sold until less than a year ago, so there are customers who won't even get the promised Nexus OS update support for a year.
Click to expand...

Well lets see how this is played out. The worst case scenario is that you get a cyanogenmod rom(which certainly isn't bad).

If its any consolation. I don't get KitKat for another few weeks so we are in similar boats until then 😀
 
Graze said:
Well lets see how this is played out. The worst case scenario is that you get a cyanogenmod rom(which certainly isn't bad).

If its any consolation. I don't get KitKat for another few weeks so we are in similar boats until then 😀
Click to expand...

I paid for Google's official support, not Cyanogenmod ROMs.
 
senseamp said:
I paid for Google's official support, not Cyanogenmod ROMs.
Click to expand...

Dude. Complaining to us about it isn't going to fix anything. We get it, you are pissed.
Isn't Google's official support period 18 months? That means you got what you paid for, move on.
 
Graze said:
Dude. Complaining to us about it isn't going to fix anything. We get it, you are pissed.
Isn't Google's official support period 18 months? That means you got what you paid for, move on.
Click to expand...

I got it less than 18 months ago, and all the updates starting with 4.2 were sluggish and were never really properly optimized for Galaxy Nexus. So, no I didn't get what I paid for. Effectively, I never got a proper update at all, the best the phone ran was with 4.1.2 that I got it with. So the whole Google Nexus update promise has pretty much been less than meaningless for me. They released some "updates" that were not properly tested and optimized, and now they stopped, leaving their customers with worse phone experience than the one we had when we bought the phones. It's amateur hour, and it shows. And that is the best update situation on Android, so that tells you where Android is relative to iOS. I used to be a big Android supporter, but it's time to face reality. Their best isn't good enough.
 
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