Do Android users refer to the OS name or numbers?

[Skel]

I was at dinner with the girlfriends parents when the father said he thought he had a phone virus. When I asked why, he told me it kept asking him if he wanted to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich, which he thought was a joke. My question is, do most Android phones use the ‘code-name’ of the OS when notifying users they can update? If so, why? Wouldn’t it make more sense to use the version numbers which we’ve trained the world to know which is which from rather than confuse people with dessert names?



Moved from a thread that I locked because I thought it was a good question.
Moderator PM

 

[Oyeve]

I was at dinner with the girlfriends parents when the father said he thought he had a phone virus. When I asked why, he told me it kept asking him if he wanted to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich, which he thought was a joke. My question is, do most Android phones use the ‘code-name’ of the OS when notifying users they can update? If so, why? Wouldn’t it make more sense to use the version numbers which we’ve trained the world to know which is which from rather than confuse people with dessert names?

Thats funny! Anyway, I think id rather have a name rather than a number especially with android as even one name has a few versions. ICS alone has 4.0 4.0.2 4.0.3 and so on.

 

[Fingolfin269]

That is pretty funny actually. I never thought about it like that but it's easy to say that most of us probably think differently about that kind of stuff than our parents, and even our not quite so tech savvy friends.

I do talk to people at work who have Android phones in terms of the OS code name, obviously they wouldn't know what the OS version is off the top of their heads, but I have realized that many have no idea what the code name is either. It probably just doesn't matter that much to most people.

 

[Red Storm]

I use the name. Someone who doesn't really know anything about smart phones isn't going to understand regardless of what I say.

 

[Skel]

Thats funny! Anyway, I think id rather have a name rather than a number especially with android as even one name has a few versions. ICS alone has 4.0 4.0.2 4.0.3 and so on.

Seems to me, and I admit I know very little about Android as I don't currently have one, that with the rev numbers it's very clear what you have. It's also very clear what version is better than the others.

 

[Infraction Jack]

Half of the people I know refer to their android phone as an Iphone. Most people generally do not care what their phone is running as long as it does what they need it to do.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Half of the people I know refer to their android phone as an Iphone. Most people generally do not care what their phone is running as long as it does what they need it to do.

I thought people refer to their phone as a Droid. When people say Nexus phone they think GNex automatically. I guess some people think my Nexus S is a GNex, but then they ask why is it so small? Because it's not a damn GNex. There's more than one Nexus phone dammit!

People tend to use the stupid name especially the iOS crowd to make fun of us. "Oh did you get Froyo or whatever the hell it is?" Yes you dimwit, I'm on Ice Cream Sandwich now. Maybe I should throw it back at them and be like "Did you upgrade your Telluride to Hootoo?" (5.0 to 5.1)

you know they won't use numbers because then iOS is on 5.x and Android is on 4.x. Can't have the world confused. Reminds me of performance ratings. AMD Athlon X2 3800+ (dual core 1.8ghz?)

 

[Ravynmagi]

Far as I can remember. My phone just asks if I want to install the updates. It mentions neither version name or number.

 

[gorcorps]

I believe this is dependent on the phone manufacturer, but I remember seeing a version number along with the update message. Like: "An update to your device is available. Would you like to update to Ice Cream Sandwhich(4.0.3)?"

It is odd though that the use of the code names are widespread (apparently not enough, but still) where as other products have codenames but that's mainly just through the dev process.

 

[ChronoReverse]

For me it depends on how technical and familiar with phones the person is. For regular people I'll just say Android 4 but if they're tech savvy then I freely using ICS or Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

[Sheep]

Half of the people I know refer to their android phone as an Iphone. Most people generally do not care what their phone is running as long as it does what they need it to do.

I've never seen anyone do this, personally. The most common thing I've observed is to refer to all Android phones as "Droids".

As for updates, I just refer to it as "the update" to people who aren't tech savvy and use the actual update name (e.g., GB, ICS, JB) for those who are.

 

[hanoverphist]

Most people generally do not care what their phone is running as long as it does what they need it to do.

this. my mom and step dad know they have android (droid) phones, but have no idea what version or anything. i have friends that have android phones and dont know what android is. all my friends with iphones know they have iphones, its in the name. they have no idea what version they have for the most part tho. except for my friend that works for apple, he knows exactly what he and our other friends have.

 

[cl-scott]

I am typically dealing with more technically minded people, though they may not always be as familiar with Android versions as I am... They can understand the general concept of version numbers, but if I said I was running Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean, they wouldn't be able to follow me as readily.

If it were my parents I were trying to deal with, they would likely come to me saying the device is asking if they want to install some update, and I'd decipher their recollection of the dialog text, and give them a yes or no answer. If they asked for more details, I'd just tell them it was an updated version.

 

[MotionMan]

this. my mom and step dad know they have android (droid) phones, but have no idea what version or anything. i have friends that have android phones and dont know what android is. all my friends with iphones know they have iphones, its in the name. they have no idea what version they have for the most part tho. except for my friend that works for apple, he knows exactly what he and our other friends have.

The VAST majority of people have no idea what version of their smart phone OS they are running, nor do they really care.

Ask my wife, sister-in-law or in-laws what version OS they are running and they will do that annoying I-don't-know-anything-about-tech-you-silly-techie-man chuckle and say, in a vaguely annoyed voice, "I don't know".

This is something only those of us on the fringe of tech knowledge ever even discuss, let alone worry about.

Most phone store salesmen are clueless about it, too, and it is their job to know.

MotionMan

 

[Binky]

Geeks use the name, and normal people have no clue. So my answer is that most people will say "I don't know," followed by the name, followed by the version number.

 

[anxi80]

My friends who really dont care about the latest and greatest are actually savvy enough to know what phones they have and the version on it.

Example a couple days ago my friend got a new HTC EVO 4G LTE and asked if I was on Ice Cream Sandwich. I told him no, I have a Nexus and using Jelly Bean and he asked whats that and when did that come out. Received a similar question a couple weeks back when a friend was showing me her new Incredible 4G LTE.

 

[Zaap]

As said, the vast majority of users simply don't care about OS versions, numbers or names.

Exactly why it's silly to gleefully tally up stats about Android version percentages like its some sort of slam, when the owners of most of the older phones are just living out their 2 year contracts and couldn't care less. Why would anyone who's moved on to a better phone with a newer OS wring their hands over something that even the owners of the older phones don't care about?

So big whoop, someone's HTSungLG Craptivate is stuck on Gingerbread and the owner likely doesn't know or care. This affects MY SGS3 with ICS or someone else's Nexus with Jellybean....


...not in the slightest.

 

[corkyg]

Several months ago, I got a Droid and while prowling around, found the "About" info. It stated "Android Version 2.3.4"

I agree with Zaap. As long as it works correctly, I don't care what the nickname is.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I say jelly bean

Noobs call it "droid" or "android"

 

[corkyg]

I say jelly bean

Noobs call it "droid" or "android"

Jelly Bean is the version nickname. Technically it is Android 4.1.

Droid or Android is the type of processor. Correctly written, 'Droid is merely a contraction of Android.

 

[ilkhan]

Jelly Bean is the version nickname. Technically it is Android 4.1.

Droid or Android is the type of OS. Correctly written, 'Droid is merely a contraction of Android.

ARM (I guess) would be the type of processor. Android is the name of the OS. Droid the name for the line of phones.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Jelly Bean is the version nickname. Technically it is Android 4.1.

Droid or Android is the type of processor. Correctly written, 'Droid is merely a contraction of Android.

Well jb=os name

 

[T_Yamamoto]

ARM (I guess) would be the type of processor. Android is the name of the OS. Droid the name for the line of phones.

I don't call it that

Just noobs do

 

[HeXen]

i have a trac phone, no clue what OS it has, and it never asks for updates. lol

 

[Bateluer]

I use both in conversation. I've seen manufacturer updates refer to OS upgrades with something like the following 'This update will upgrade your phone to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich' though.