Android software updates?

[TheArium]

I'm not really an Android user but I'm considering it for my next phone.

 

But I'm a bit confused how I know for how long my handset will be supported with software updates? It seems that new "flagship" models and "mid-range" models arrive often with almost the latest software, such as the phones coming today with Android 4.2.2 instead of 4.3. It is promised that they'll be updated, but can you count on that? And if you can for how lang can you rest assured that your device will receive the latest Android versions? Any 12 month or 24 month support policies? And how to know which phones will indeed be updated and which won't?

 

Having the latest software is kind of important to me as I want the newest features. If I pay a lot for a new phone it would be such a letdown to lose support within the next update or two...

[Godlygamer23]

Depends on the phone. If you get something like a Galaxy S3, it'll update through the carrier which can take a long time.

[bartekxx12]

If you're getting an Android phone make sure that it is - 

1. A nexus branded phone from Google such as the Nexus 4
 

OR

 

2. A Google Play Device branded phone such as the Google Play Edition of the HTC One and Galaxy S4.

Nexus branded phones will receive new updates directly from Google the minute the update is released.
Google Play branded phones will receive updates within a few days maybe up to a week or two, and will always continue to receive new updates.

[Thibaudv]

If you want constant software updates, you should look for Nexus devices or Google Play edition phones (such as the HTC One google play edition). Other devices mostly only get support for 1-2 years and often half a year to a year behind the actual android software release dates.

 

You can also root your phone (sort of like jailbreaking, it means that you can switch up different versions of android), and if your phone is a popular one than people will make custom roms with the latest android versions, with some cool extra features.

 

For example I have a 2,3 yr old HTC Sensation and while officially it only supports android 4.0.3, I'm running cyanogenmod 10.1 with a Sense 5 theme, and this rom gets updated weekly (right now it's on android 4.2.2 but somewhere next week there will probably be a 4.3 rom version) and it makes the phone way more energy efficient and better performing.

[TheArium]

Ok, so say I were to get a HTC One or One Mini it is expected that it indeed would receive software updates for at least 1 and likely 2 years - unlikely more - though it would happen a bit slower than it would for a Nexus device? Did I get that right? I can imagine the slow updates is because for instance HTC would have to adjust the new software to their own UI overlay?

[bartekxx12]

Ok, so say I were to get a HTC One or One Mini it is expected that it indeed would receive software updates for at least 1 and likely 2 years - unlikely more - though it would happen a bit slower than it would for a Nexus device? Did I get that right? I can imagine the slow updates is because for instance HTC would have to adjust the new software to their own UI overlay?

If you get the normal HTC One then you are correct. You will receive updates months after they come out and only up to a certain point after which that device will most likely not get any more updates.

If you get the HTC One Google Play edition then you will receive updates a few hours up to probably only a week after their release and will continue to receive updates from Google forever. 

[TheArium]

If you get the normal HTC One then you are correct. You will receive updates months after they come out and only up to a certain point after which that device will most likely not get any more updates.

If you get the HTC One Google Play edition then you will receive updates a few hours up to probably only a week after their release and will continue to receive updates from Google forever. 

 

Why would it take so long? Isn't it in the interest of all the people involved and especially in the manufacturer's interest that their phones receive frequent updates as well? What can one expect "a certain point" to be? 

[bartekxx12]

Why would it take so long? Isn't it in the interest of all the people involved and especially in the manufacturer's interest that their phones receive frequent updates as well? What can one expect "a certain point" to be? 

Well to give you some idea, The Galaxy S2 only just received the 4.1 update very recently. The Galaxy S3 is still on 4.1 expecting an update to 4.2 "very soon". And Android 4.3 was just released...  The Galaxy S1 however no longer receives any updates and is stuck on 2.3

These updates take a very long time because as you said, the manufacturer first has to receive the update from Google and test it, then skin it and add their own features as well as drivers, then once that's done they send it out to the carriers who also take a long time test and approve the update before it's released to you.

 

Because of this long and complicated process once a new phone get released the older version typically gets less and less attention as time goes on until it stops receiving updates completely.

All of this is why it's best to get a Google Nexus branded phone, they receive the update the minute it's released directly from Google, it doesn't go through anything else.

Google Play Edition devices also receive the updates directly from Google but take a little longer as the drivers and optimizations for their hardware has to be added such as Beats Audio for the HTC One. This however only takes a few hours to a few days and then the update is released to everyone. 

Apart from the delayed updates I would also recommend Nexus and Google Play Edition devices over any other because Stock Android straight from Google is amazing, it is extremely fast, smooth, beautiful and clean. Skins made by manufacturers add features but often slow down the devices and fill them with bloatware making them no where near as nice to use. 

[TheArium]

Well to give you some idea, The Galaxy S2 only just received the 4.1 update very recently. The Galaxy S3 is still on 4.1 expecting an update to 4.2 "very soon". And Android 4.3 was just released...  The Galaxy S1 however no longer receives any updates and is stuck on 2.3

These updates take a very long time because as you said, the manufacturer first has to receive the update from Google and test it, then skin it and add their own features as well as drivers, then once that's done they send it out to the carriers who also take a long time test and approve the update before it's released to you.

 

Because of this long and complicated process once a new phone get released the older version typically gets less and less attention as time goes on until it stops receiving updates completely.

All of this is why it's best to get a Google Nexus branded phone, they receive the update the minute it's released directly from Google, it doesn't go through anything else.

Google Play Edition devices also receive the updates directly from Google but take a little longer as the drivers and optimizations for their hardware has to be added such as Beats Audio for the HTC One. This however only takes a few hours to a few days and then the update is released to everyone. 

Apart from the delayed updates I would also recommend Nexus and Google Play Edition devices over any other because Stock Android straight from Google is amazing, it is extremely fast, smooth, beautiful and clean. Skins made by manufacturers add features but often slow down the devices and fill them with bloatware making them no where near as nice to use. 

 

Oh, I see. Kinda sad it has to be that way. You'd think there'd be a better way to do things...  :huh:  The reason I ask is I really like the look and the features of HTC Sense 5, and according to any review it should be as butter smooth to use as stock Android. But it puts me in a dilemma, because being left out because various teams have to go through the software seems like a really bad deal...  :wacko:  Damn... But thanks a lot for the help and explanation.

 

It just hit me... You can download all sorts of things to your device from the Play Store. Can you also download skins such as HTC Sense 5 and Samsung Touchwiz if you wish to use them on a stock Android device?

[rashdanml]

An alternative option:

 

1) Buy any device.

2) Root it.

3) Install custom ROM.

 

For step 3, Cyanogenmod is a great option, and they're reasonably quick to update from the stock release. Sometimes, it's possible to flash a custom ROM that hasn't really been changed much (for any phone); simply compiled/built from source to work for whichever device in question.

 

XDA Developers is a great place to search for custom roms. Place to look: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1566

 

You'll see custom ROMs built on Android 4.2.2, whereas the S3 is currently officially on 4.1.2 for most carriers. I'd imagine 4.3 based ROMs will follow soon, since it was only just released to pure Google devices.

 

Rooting and flashing custom ROMs is a simple process.

[Thibaudv]

Oh, I see. Kinda sad it has to be that way. You'd think there'd be a better way to do things...  :huh:  The reason I ask is I really like the look and the features of HTC Sense 5, and according to any review it should be as butter smooth to use as stock Android. But it puts me in a dilemma, because being left out because various teams have to go through the software seems like a really bad deal...  :wacko:  Damn... But thanks a lot for the help and explanation.

 

It just hit me... You can download all sorts of things to your device from the Play Store. Can you also download skins such as HTC Sense 5 and Samsung Touchwiz if you wish to use them on a stock Android device?

Well if I were you, I'd buy a HTC One, root it and whenever the Sense rom doesn't get updated anymore, you can just put the Google play edition rom on it (since they are the exact same phones).

 

You can download skins that try and imitate Sense, but they never as good as the actual Sense from HTC itself.

 

Good luck with your choice!

 

[bartekxx12]

 

 

It just hit me... You can download all sorts of things to your device from the Play Store. Can you also download skins such as HTC Sense 5 and Samsung Touchwiz if you wish to use them on a stock Android device?

You can't download "HTC Sense 5" or "Touchwiz" but you can get most of the features they add by using other apps.

If you like HTC's blinkfeed for example with all the social networks and news in one place, "Flipboard" does the same thing https://flipboard.com/ and it looks extremely nice and clean.

If you tell me any of the actual features of Sense you like I am sure that there are apps that do it better and I will tell you what they're called.

As for the people mentioning Custom ROMs. Yes things like Cyanogen Mod are always an option to get the latest version of Android, but then, not only you lose all the features that things like Sense provides... so it's better to just get a Nexus. But also they tend to have tons of bugs and instability issues. (I know I run Cyanogen on my S3 to get Android 4.3)

[TheArium]

Well if I were you, I'd buy a HTC One, root it and whenever the Sense rom doesn't get updated anymore, you can just put the Google play edition rom on it (since they are the exact same phones).

 

You can download skins that try and imitate Sense, but they never as good as the actual Sense from HTC itself.

 

Good luck with your choice!

 

Actually I was thinking about the One Mini because it's smaller, cheaper, has the same features with a few exceptions and performs just as well as the One. I suspect it'll update just as the One as it's the same software.

 

You can't download "HTC Sense 5" or "Touchwiz" but you can get most of the features they add by using other apps.

If you like HTC's blinkfeed for example with all the social networks and news in one place, "Flipboard" does the same thing https://flipboard.com/ and it looks extremely nice and clean.

If you tell me any of the actual features of Sense you like I am sure that there are apps that do it better and I will tell you what they're called.

As for the people mentioning Custom ROMs. Yes things like Cyanogen Mod are always an option to get the latest version of Android, but then, not only you lose all the features that things like Sense provides... so it's better to just get a Nexus. But also they tend to have tons of bugs and instability issues. (I know I run Cyanogen on my S3 to get Android 4.3)

 

Well, I do indeed like BlinkFeed because I like to get for example tech news from the source without having to go through different apps and webpages to access different media. Other than that I'm quite fond of the design of Sense 5 - especially the icons - and I doubt any app'll help with that. Not too fond of Touchwiz, though, but I've been looking at pictures of stock Android and it's not too bad. Does a phone like the Motorola Moto X count as a Google Play Device so that it'll receive updates quickly?

 

 

[pcman2000]

The Galaxy S2 only just received the 4.1 update very recently.

 

Nope, my Unlocked S2 has had 4.1.2 for a while (at least a few months)

 

To OP:

Basically the order of updates are like this.

1. Nexus devices (hours after release)
2. Google Play Edition Devices (days-weeks after release)
3. Flagship Unlocked "International" Devices, as updates are straight from manufacturer (months after release)
4. Devices from Carriers, as updates need to be approved by carrier (Unlocked Devices + a few months depending on how shit your carrier is)

[TheArium]

Thanks a lot for all the replies guys. I think I'll wait to see what the next Nexus device looks like as I really like to get new software updates quickly. Then perhaps I'll play around with some icon packs or just stick with it as it is. Do icon packs require any tech-magic or do you just install?

 

Is the Moto X categorized as a Google Play Edition Device since it is basically Google and almost running stock Android?

[Thibaudv]

Thanks a lot for all the replies guys. I think I'll wait to see what the next Nexus device looks like as I really like to get new software updates quickly. Then perhaps I'll play around with some icon packs or just stick with it as it is. Do icon packs require any tech-magic or do you just install?

 

Is the Moto X categorized as a Google Play Edition Device since it is basically Google and almost running stock Android?

It's a little something of its own, watch this video if you want to know everything about the phone