Microsoft Slams Google for Android update

[GoodBytes]

Microsoft's Windows chief, Terry Myerson, at Microsoft very own Ignite event, slamed Google for its Android OS. Ignite is an event that target IP professionals,

Myerson said: "Google ships a big pile of… code, with no commitment to update your device," And this is true. We have seen that they are still a majority of Jelly Bean devices, and Google is not offering any assistance or not implementing new update system to rectify the problem now, let alone in the future to avoid this problem to happen again. Google was demonstrated to not care, playing with blame game onto manufactures. All news covered here.

He adds: "Google takes no responsibility to update customer devices and refuses to take responsibility to update their devices, leaving end users and businesses increasingly exposed every day they use an Android device."

To put thinks in context, he was aiming at companies giving it's employees or allowing employee to us Android devices, which due to inability to get rapid update released, and in many cases, never as the phone manufacture are pushing their new phones instead, is creating vulnerabilities to the company that can end up costing potentially a lot of money.

However, it must said that Microsoft didn't reveal how it would be able to deliver updates. But one can assume the same way as supported phone can install Windows 10 for Phones Preview. And also, Microsoft didn't have updates for Windows Phone 7 users to Windows Phone 8, so they don't have the perfect track record.

Microsoft did introduce the notice of monthly release of Windows 10 with new features or improvements done each month with different rings options, as a new way to allow better testing of security updates, and OS bug fixes for companies to be more confident in applying all updates and as they get official released.

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/4/8545917/microsoft-slams-android-security

[QwarkDreams]

Really? MS is in no position to talk. There are hardly any updates for Windows Phone and the ones that we get only fix stuff under the hood. The freaking music app is still full of bugs, the market search is even more useless than Bing and in terms of features it's still not on the same level as iOS and Android......bashing on the flaws of electric cars while sitting in a horse-carriage....

[SubTract]

Lol Has anybody heard of the Xbox One. Its still suffering major bugs that have been present since launch.

At least google is supporting its current OS's.

[Deli]

On the other hand, I don't understand why we need new OS very year.

[TheMcSame]

"We need to think of something so we can get back at Google for exposing a security flaw in our OS!"

[mr moose]

Really? MS is in no position to talk. There are hardly any updates for Windows Phone and the ones that we get only fix stuff under the hood. The freaking music app is still full of bugs, the market search is even more useless than Bing and in terms of features it's still not on the same level as iOS and Android......bashing on the flaws of electric cars while sitting in a horse-carriage....

 

Really?  my WP updates all the time, new features, new security patches.  Haven't run into anything it can't do that android can.  Unlike my last android phone that is still on 2.2 because I can't get it to update past that.     

[QwarkDreams]

Really?  my WP updates all the time, new features, new security patches.  Haven't run into anything it can't do that android can.  Unlike my last android phone that is still on 2.2 because I can't get it to update past that.     

 

Ever tried to use the stock stop-watch? Not likely cause there ain't none. But good thing it comes pre-loaded with all the useless Bing apps (health, cooking, sport, money, etc.).

And when was the last time you got an update that introduced new features that weren't already available on Android?

 

WP 8.1 implemented some essential features like the drop-down action center (which is still very limited), file management (also, still very limited) and seperate volume control for ringtones and media+app. But there are tons of features that are still missing: expanding notifications in the action center, charging the device while off (it will power on as soon as you plug it in), linking files/actions to specific apps (setting a standard app), etc.

 

The list of changes with each update might be longer than on iOS and Android but that's only because there is so much to catch up on.

 

36months update support is double of what you get with Android devices but the progress is the same.

 

And one of the most annoying things is still the search, be it with Bing or in the Windows store (looking for Twitter apps? well, there are a few but here's also some completely unrelated BS; some apps even only show up when you type in the exact name). Reminds me very much of the early Android app store.

 

But don't get me wrong, I too have bad experiences with Android (that's why I switched to WP). HTC Magic -> still on Android 1.5, Nexus S -> the last official update - 4.1.2 I think - I got prevents the CPU from idling (which causes the battery to drain in 1/4 day even it's just sitting on my desk) no fix from Google, Galaxy S Plus -> stuck on 2.3.6 and slow as hell.

But at least on Android I have the possibility to use a custom rom (which doesn't require a complex procedure that might brick the phone if done wrong). Unfortunately even after using Cyanogenmod on my Nexus S the battery drain issue was still present.

[Dredgy]

While Microsoft's certainly not great and their is a bit of a double standard here, they do at least have the common sense to keep their shit closed-source. I read a bit of the Android source and was physically nauseous for like a week.

[mr moose]

Ever tried to use the stock stop-watch? Not likely cause there ain't none. But good thing it comes pre-loaded with all the useless Bing apps (health, cooking, sport, money, etc.).

And when was the last time you got an update that introduced new features that weren't already available on Android?

 

WP 8.1 implemented some essential features like the drop-down action center (which is still very limited), file management (also, still very limited) and seperate volume control for ringtones and media+app. But there are tons of features that are still missing: expanding notifications in the action center, charging the device while off (it will power on as soon as you plug it in), linking files/actions to specific apps (setting a standard app), etc.

 

The list of changes with each update might be longer than on iOS and Android but that's only because there is so much to catch up on.

 

36months update support is double of what you get with Android devices but the progress is the same.

 

And one of the most annoying things is still the search, be it with Bing or in the Windows store (looking for Twitter apps? well, there are a few but here's also some completely unrelated BS; some apps even only show up when you type in the exact name). Reminds me very much of the early Android app store.

 

But don't get me wrong, I too have bad experiences with Android (that's why I switched to WP). HTC Magic -> still on Android 1.5, Nexus S -> the last official update - 4.1.2 I think - I got prevents the CPU from idling (which causes the battery to drain in 1/4 day even it's just sitting on my desk) no fix from Google, Galaxy S Plus -> stuck on 2.3.6 and slow as hell.

But at least on Android I have the possibility to use a custom rom (which doesn't require a complex procedure that might brick the phone if done wrong). Unfortunately even after using Cyanogenmod on my Nexus S the battery drain issue was still present.

 

Last update installed cortana and fixed some calendar issues.  I don't use a stop watch so I don't even know if there is one installed.  Bing, for all the shit it gets on here seems to do as good as google results wise, it may have been limited when it was new, but then what isn't?

 

The thing is I didn't have to go looking for the update, it did it automatically,  it reminds me to back up my phones contents and events periodically and it links seamlessly with windows, something I have had so many issues doing with android on a few different phones.

 

I am sure there are people with the exact opposite experience to me,  all can say is there would have to be because if everyone's experience was like mine, google wouldn't have any market share.

[Guest Generallee]

And here i am writing this with a 4 years old iPad 2 that was shipped with iOS4, running the latest iOS8, wondering if it will run iOS9

[Nineshadow]

But don't get me wrong, I too have bad experiences with Android (that's why I switched to WP). HTC Magic -> still on Android 1.5, Nexus S -> the last official update - 4.1.2 I think - I got prevents the CPU from idling (which causes the battery to drain in 1/4 day even it's just sitting on my desk) no fix from Google, Galaxy S Plus -> stuck on 2.3.6 and slow as hell.

But at least on Android I have the possibility to use a custom rom (which doesn't require a complex procedure that might brick the phone if done wrong). Unfortunately even after using Cyanogenmod on my Nexus S the battery drain issue was still present.

Yup. My S Plus was stuck on 2.3.6.I installed Lollipop on it a few months ago and it felt faster.

Seriously, they didn't bring ICS to it because "it doesn't have enough RAM for touchwiz".

[QwarkDreams]

Last update installed cortana and fixed some calendar issues.  I don't use a stop watch so I don't even know if there is one installed.  Bing, for all the shit it gets on here seems to do as good as google results wise, it may have been limited when it was new, but then what isn't?

 

The thing is I didn't have to go looking for the update, it did it automatically,  it reminds me to back up my phones contents and events periodically and it links seamlessly with windows, something I have had so many issues doing with android on a few different phones.

 

I am sure there are people with the exact opposite experience to me,  all can say is there would have to be because if everyone's experience was like mine, google wouldn't have any market share.

 

Bing still doens't give as good search results as Google.

 

Android checks for updates too. With WP on the other hand you have to update all the system apps (screen, storage sense, etc) before you can get the latest update. I recently did a hard reset on my 925 to factory settings (because the "other" category for unsupported file types and things like that - no specific info on what exactly those things are) kept piling up (and still are, already back at ~390MB of wasted storage space). Before each update (from Cyan to Denim and WP 8 to 8.1) I had to manually update all the system apps to even be able to get the next update. At least Android does this on its own with the OS updates. Sometimes it doesn't even tell you what fixes/updates were applied to those apps except for "(minor) bug fixes" which is especially annoying if a known bug is still existant after the update.

 

Not necessarily. Could also be a different kind of "personal update policy" (aka getting a new phone when the current one is even slightly not up to date anymore or just wanting to have the newest), so they might not even experience those let-downs. Or they don't even care what the updates do because they wouldn't understand it anyway ("I chose this phone because it looks nice and it's pink" or "everyone has it so I want it too"). The amount of people who buy smartphones without knowing the difference between brand/model a and brand/model b and solely going by looks or price (more expensive must be better) is too damn high.

[Blebekblebek]

mobile market is not design to last

 

but since every OS has their own app store, they leave that responsibility to developers.

that just sad.

[mr moose]

Bing still doens't give as good search results as Google.

 

Android checks for updates too. With WP on the other hand you have to update all the system apps (screen, storage sense, etc) before you can get the latest update. I recently did a hard reset on my 925 to factory settings (because the "other" category for unsupported file types and things like that - no specific info on what exactly those things are) kept piling up (and still are, already back at ~390MB of wasted storage space). Before each update (from Cyan to Denim and WP 8 to 8.1) I had to manually update all the system apps to even be able to get the next update. At least Android does this on its own with the OS updates. Sometimes it doesn't even tell you what fixes/updates were applied to those apps except for "(minor) bug fixes" which is especially annoying if a known bug is still existant after the update.

 

Not necessarily. Could also be a different kind of "personal update policy" (aka getting a new phone when the current one is even slightly not up to date anymore or just wanting to have the newest), so they might not even experience those let-downs. Or they don't even care what the updates do because they wouldn't understand it anyway ("I chose this phone because it looks nice and it's pink" or "everyone has it so I want it too"). The amount of people who buy smartphones without knowing the difference between brand/model a and brand/model b and solely going by looks or price (more expensive must be better) is too damn high.

 

I bought my WP because I was tired of android and I don't like IOS.  WP updates itself, Apps and all, I like that. I get that it's not for everyone, but for most users who aren't into the technical side of things it's a good way to keep it all working.

[QwarkDreams]

I bought my WP because I was tired of android and I don't like IOS.  WP updates itself, Apps and all, I like that. I get that it's not for everyone, but for most users who aren't into the technical side of things it's a good way to keep it all working.

 

Same reason why I switched to WP. Had nothing but trouble and unsatisfying experiences with Android (no/flawed updates, bugs, OS fragmentation, etc). WP looked like a simple yet functional alternative (Apple is not an option for me). But especially in the early WP8 state it was very spartanic, too simple and lacking convenience (not to mention app support) but perfect for those who want a phone with basic smartphone capabilities. I really hope that Windows 10 for Phones is going to be a game changer.

[mr moose]

Same reason why I switched to WP. Had nothing but trouble and unsatisfying experiences with Android (no/flawed updates, bugs, OS fragmentation, etc). WP looked like a simple yet functional alternative (Apple is not an option for me). But especially in the early WP8 state it was very spartanic, too simple and lacking convenience (not to mention app support) but perfect for those who want a phone with basic smartphone capabilities. I really hope that Windows 10 for Phones is going to be a game changer.

 

If the hype is anything to go by then it should be at least adequate if not better.  I am not a power user and so far 8.1 is adequate.

[Sharp_3yE]

Really? MS is in no position to talk. There are hardly any updates for Windows Phone and the ones that we get only fix stuff under the hood. The freaking music app is still full of bugs, the market search is even more useless than Bing and in terms of features it's still not on the same level as iOS and Android......bashing on the flaws of electric cars while sitting in a horse-carriage....

Actually, they can talk about this. Every wp8 device has the ability to upgrade to WP8.1 right now. In fact, 70% of phones are updated to 8.1 which is the latest update. That is his point. He is talking about being updated and secure. If you're not updated, your not the most secure and that is VERY important for business.

http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-635-ascent-windows-phone-dominance

Sure, we can complain about the features in wp8.1 but isn't this event about the future? The future is windows 10 on phones which has TONS of new features and features that Android won't have. Also, every windows phone 8/8.1 device will be able to update to windows 10.

The story on Android side is very poor with updates. IPhone is the best at updates and WP is second best.

There is also rumors that there may be a way for the average person to get OS updates without their carrier pushing them out.

[LAwLz]

I don't think Microsoft is in the right position to criticize others when their own track record is basically non-existing because they died in the middle of the race...
 
*Cough cough* Windows Phone 7.8 *cough cough*
*Cough cough* Windows RT *cough cough*
 
 
It would be nice if Android updates were delivered to a broader range of devices in a timely manner, but the point of Android is to give manufacturers an OS they can do whatever they want with. I don't really see how Google could do anything about the OEMs terrible update cycles without putting a ton of restrictions on them.

[mr moose]

You shouldn't throw dirt at others when your own track record is basically non-existing because you died in the middle of the race...

 

*Cough cough* Windows Phone 7.8 *cough cough*

*Cough cough* Windows RT *cough cough*

 

That means basically no company should be throwing dirt at anyone for any reason, because they're all guilty of the something at some stage in their history.

[LAwLz]

That means basically no company should be throwing dirt at anyone for any reason, because they're all guilty of the something at some stage in their history.

Not sure how you came to that conclusion. What I am saying is that if your track record is shit then maybe you should focus on improving yourself and get a good track record before criticize others?

If you have a good history then sure, throw dirt if you want. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

 

Microsoft has flat out dropped support and gone "no device that runs this OS will ever get an update again" on two OSes in the last 3-4 years so I don't think they are in a position to go "look at how badly this other company handles updates".

I wouldn't have any problem with Apple saying it because their history of updates has been (with a few exceptions like locking Siri to specific devices) excellent.

[GoodBytes]

We are not talking about features here.

We are talking about security issues being fixed.

Google releases new Android OS, but unless you buy the latest and greatest phone soon after the new Android is released, nearly every time, you don't get the security updates nearly as soon, or even ever.

People here do an effort in buying popular Android phone, so it gets support. But if you buy a device that fits your needs and budget better, but sadly is unpopular. What now? You'll basically have no OS update, even if there is a huge security flaw. Google won't help you, your phone manufacture won't help you either. There is not even roms to replace as there is no community or large enough community around it.

[qwertywarrior]

google fixed the security part of the issue in android 5.0 by getting security updates via play store regardless of what the manufacturer wants 

[mr moose]

Not sure how you came to that conclusion. What I am saying is that if your track record is shit then maybe you should focus on improving yourself and get a good track record before criticize others?

If you have a good history then sure, throw dirt if you want. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

 

Microsoft has flat out dropped support and gone "no device that runs this OS will ever get an update again" on two OSes in the last 3-4 years so I don't think they are in a position to go "look at how badly this other company handles updates".

I wouldn't have any problem with Apple saying it because their history of updates has been (with a few exceptions like locking Siri to specific devices) excellent.

I came to that conclusion because all companies live in glass houses. They have all stopped supporting old OS's.  Admittedly apples is close to the best with regard to maintaining the current ios and ensuring all users have access to os upgrades (not just updates). but once your device can no longer support the latest os even they stop supporting it.

[LAwLz]

I came to that conclusion because all companies live in glass houses. They have all stopped supporting old OS's.  Admittedly apples is close to the best with regard to maintaining the current ios and ensuring all users have access to os upgrades (not just updates). but once your device can no longer support the latest os even they stop supporting it.

That's just silly. I am not asking for a 100% clean record. What I am saying is that Microsoft has royally fucked up twice in terms of OS updates in the last 3-4 years so they should focus on building their own reputation before they try and sully Google's reputation.

I hope you realize that the world is not black and white. There are a lot of different shades of gray between the two. Right now you're essentially saying "if one company has ever skipped updating 1 device then their glass house is exactly the same as all other companies".

[atrash]

Bing still doens't give as good search results as Google.

 

Android checks for updates too. With WP on the other hand you have to update all the system apps (screen, storage sense, etc) before you can get the latest update. I recently did a hard reset on my 925 to factory settings (because the "other" category for unsupported file types and things like that - no specific info on what exactly those things are) kept piling up (and still are, already back at ~390MB of wasted storage space). Before each update (from Cyan to Denim and WP 8 to 8.1) I had to manually update all the system apps to even be able to get the next update. At least Android does this on its own with the OS updates. Sometimes it doesn't even tell you what fixes/updates were applied to those apps except for "(minor) bug fixes" which is especially annoying if a known bug is still existant after the update.

 

Not necessarily. Could also be a different kind of "personal update policy" (aka getting a new phone when the current one is even slightly not up to date anymore or just wanting to have the newest), so they might not even experience those let-downs. Or they don't even care what the updates do because they wouldn't understand it anyway ("I chose this phone because it looks nice and it's pink" or "everyone has it so I want it too"). The amount of people who buy smartphones without knowing the difference between brand/model a and brand/model b and solely going by looks or price (more expensive must be better) is too damn high.

 

I'm using the same phone as yours too and from my experience, because I have set it to automatic update, I didn't even have to manually update the system apps to be able to get the update for WP 8.1 or Denim. The only time I had to do manual updates was when getting the DP way back then on my old 620. Funny enough I got the Denim update quite late because the 925 I bought online here was actually a South Africa unit hence the delay. As for the 'other' storage, mine is currently using 2.8gb but I have no qualm with it really coz I'm barely using any of the internal storage anyway. 

 

I don't think Microsoft is in the right position to criticize others when their own track record is basically non-existing because they died in the middle of the race...

 

*Cough cough* Windows Phone 7.8 *cough cough*

*Cough cough* Windows RT *cough cough*

 

 

It would be nice if Android updates were delivered to a broader range of devices in a timely manner, but the point of Android is to give manufacturers an OS they can do whatever they want with. I don't really see how Google could do anything about the OEMs terrible update cycles without putting a ton of restrictions on them.

 

From what I'm aware of, WP 7.8 has totally different core software/kernel (based on Windows CE) than WP 8 (Windows 8) and hence it can't be upgraded to the newer OS without wiping the phone clean and reinstalling a fresh new OS. It would be a major hassle to even be able to do so and could potentially brick the phone if something goes wrong during the update. But I agree on the Windows RT though..It was a too limiting OS to have any potential on growing.