understanding android update system

[HermanT]

how does android updates work?

 

lets say lollipop just launched...  is it up to OEM's to support their phones, or? will all android phones get the update?

 

I am a 0 in android... let me know all that you know

 

_______

 

can every phone be rooted and updated  100% safe?

[minibois]

how does android updates work?

 

lets say lollipop just launched...  is it up to OEM's to support their phones, or? will all android phones get the update?

 

I am a 0 in android... let me know all that you know

 

_______

 

can every phone be rooted and updated  100% safe?

You will have to wait until Samsung or Sony decides to update, since they have their own skin over Android. 

If you have something with stock Android (Motorola phones or Nexus phones/tablets), it will be there faster.

 

I don't know that much about rooting though 

 

(Off topic: don't forget to follow your topics)

[HermanT]

 

 

(Off topic: don't forget to follow your topics)

I thought it is a topic for phones? or should I throw this in software?

[HermanT]

You will have to wait until Samsung or Sony decides to update, since they have their own skin over Android. 

If you have something with stock Android (Motorola phones or Nexus phones/tablets), it will be there faster.

 

I don't know that much about rooting though 

 

(Off topic: don't forget to follow your topics)

I have a lame phone of a brand "prestigio" (sounds like an insult)

 

it has 4.1.1 .. I clicked update, it didnt find anything... does it mean they abandoned it?

[minibois]

I thought it is a topic for phones? or should I throw this in software?

No, that was not what I meant. I meant off topic from what you are saying, you should follow your topics as you will be notified of new posts

You posted this in the correct sub forum. 

[minibois]

I have a lame phone of a brand "prestigio" (sounds like an insult)

 

it has 4.1.1 .. I clicked update, it didnt find anything... does it mean they abandoned it?

I guess they did. I have an LG phone stuck as 4.0.. 

[HermanT]

I guess they did. I have an LG phone stuck as 4.0.. 

So brands can abandon their phones, like linus said in the fresh WAN?

 

If a phone has a stock android, does it mean that you could always update it as android goes along?

[minibois]

So brands can abandon their phones, like linus said in the fresh WAN?

 

If a phone has a stock android, does it mean that you could always update it as android goes along?

Yeah, I guess they can.. That's one disadvantage of Android, the brands drop their phones rather quickly.. 

Only a handful of phones (compared to how many Android devices there are ) have gotten the Android L update.

 

That's one advantage with Apple phones I guess, they get updated for longer..

 

About stock Android, I don't know exactly.. The Nexus 5 (that's 2013 or 2014) got the Android L update and really any stock Android  device released around that time too

[HermanT]

Yeah, I guess they can.. That's one disadvantage of Android, the brands drop their phones rather quickly.. 

Only a handful of phones (compared to how many Android devices there are ) have gotten the Android L update.

 

That's one advantage with Apple phones I guess, they get updated for longer..

 

About stock Android, I don't know exactly.. The Nexus 5 (that's 2013 or 2014) got the Android L update and really any stock Android  device released around that time too

thats very unfortunate, considering that the value of features that brands add to stock android is worth so so little...

[minibois]

thats very unfortunate, considering that the value of features that brands add to stock android is worth so so little...

Still, it's not all bad because with rooting and custom ROMS, you can do a lot of stuff

[HermanT]

Google Android team makes new Android version, sends it to Android phone manufacturers.

Phone manufacturers modifies it to work with their phone models, adds manufacturer (brand) specific software and sends it to carriers.

Carriers tweak baseband settings, adds their own specific software, sends out push update to existing users.

 

 

Manufacturers and carriers can sit on the new Android version, and either refuse or delay to pass it down the line. It is one strategy to get consumers to buy the newer more expensive phones if they want the newer Android version.

Take for example my Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE+ (GT-I9506) already had a Kitkat update ready with my carrier, but I never received the push update for it. So I said screw those scumbags and instead installed a custom CM12 Lollipop ROM from XDA.

 

 

If you know the specific model of your phone, I could try to search for an unreleased update for you. But of course don't expect there to be a Lollipop update for phones over a year old.

To find your phone model, go to Settings > About Phone and look at Model number. It will also help to know what Android version you are currently on, and the Baseband version. Also your country and carrier.

Of course you go straight to custom ROMs but we still need all that info.

those bastards...

 

thank you so much for all the info...

 

no need to update my phone, because its literally piece of "artwork". I was just browsing the phone shop and wanted to learn a useful thing about android...

 

What if a phone has stock android? The update will have to be forwarded as well by manufacturers and the carriers, so its a gamble either way?

[HermanT]

this might be a stupid thing I'm doing, but I'm looking at a "CAT" phones...

 

Can all phones  be rooted and updated, or as you said custom ROM? What about CAT?

[HermanT]

Still, it's not all bad because with rooting and custom ROMS, you can do a lot of stuff

yeah, considering how things are in the smartphone market, its pretty much a necessity... there so little good option as it is. Like Linus says, Luke, myself included and every PC power user... Phones are made bigger and uncomfortable, resolutions beyond reason and now theres this "who can make the thinnest phone" competition which is just absurd... Even apple doing stupid things, 4.7" and a stupid thin and curve combo, slippery and doesnt fit in the hand, bs.

 

I miss the times where it was "phones" not "smartphone"

[HermanT]

Cat phones? As in Caterpillar?

 

There doesn't appear to be custom ROMs for those phones.

 

The more popular a particular model of phone is, the greater number of custom ROMs there will be made by people. Also custom ROMs based on later Android versions will come out quicker.

yeah those...

 

hmm... I wounder how they manage updates, since there only a few phones and they dont release them very often...

 

I hate the smartphone market...

[A.D.A.M]

Heres an interesting info graphic about how android update works from HTC

edit:let me get a better photo

[HermanT]

Cat phones? As in Caterpillar?

 

There doesn't appear to be custom ROMs for those phones.

 

The more popular a particular model of phone is, the greater number of custom ROMs there will be made by people. Also custom ROMs based on later Android versions will come out quicker.

where do you find ROM's particularly and is it hard to install? Is there a chance to render your phone unusable if you make a mistake?

 

I refreshed my knowledge of the current phone market and am leaning towards sony z3 compact, it sais it has kit kat and lolipop is scheduled for early 2015... either way I would like to ROM it in the future...

[boboman342]

Google Android team makes new Android version, sends it to Android phone manufacturers.

Phone manufacturers modifies it to work with their phone models, adds manufacturer (brand) specific software and sends it to carriers.

Carriers tweak baseband settings, adds their own specific software, sends out push update to existing users.

 

 

Manufacturers and carriers can sit on the new Android version, and either refuse or delay to pass it down the line. It is one strategy to get consumers to buy the newer more expensive phones if they want the newer Android version.

Take for example my Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE+ (GT-I9506) already had a Kitkat update ready with my carrier, but I never received the push update for it. So I said screw those scumbags and instead installed a custom CM12 Lollipop ROM from XDA.

 

 

If you know the specific model of your phone, I could try to search for an unreleased update for you. But of course don't expect there to be a Lollipop update for phones over a year old.

To find your phone model, go to Settings > About Phone and look at Model number. It will also help to know what Android version you are currently on, and the Baseband version. Also your country and carrier.

Of course you go straight to custom ROMs but we still need all that info.

I'm running cm12 5.0.2 on my s5 also The only thing that didn't work was gps, but I flashed back to stock rom, was in the process of using gps and pulled the battery, flashed cm 12 again and gg it works fine. 

 

The large icons is default on and does not change unless you update it with the new nightlys, but doing that I lost the ability to call/text, but could receive them and  use 3g/4g lte fine, so I restored my rom backup and used Rom Toolbox to change my dpi.

 

On sprint btw