So Did Lenovo Finally Ruin Motorola?

[poofyhairguy]

There is a lot of people in the Android community who are very upset with Motorola this week when it was discovered that the company doesn't plan to bring Android Marshmallow to the AT&T or Verizon versions of the Moto X 2014, or the 2015 Moto E:

http://www.greenbot.com/article/298...-list-of-motorolas-upgrade-worthy-phones.html

The worst part is this quote from February when the Moto E launched:

"And while other smartphones in this category don't always support upgrades, we won't forget about you, and we'll make sure your Moto E stays up to date after you buy it," Magno Herran, Moto E's marketing manager, stated in the demo video last February.

Technically 5.0 to 5.1 meets that promise, but it still looks like bad for for a company that sells phones that many people consider to be Nexus alternatives to dump a device not even a year old. I think the fast update reputation for Motorola is now shattered, especially when you consider how long it took them to get the Moto X 2013 Lollipop update out.

Does this change what you think about Moto or their devices? Do you care about updates or is the stock ROM more the appeal?

 

[StrangerGuy]

I can tolerate lack of support for a budget device, but a premium priced phone should at least receive 2 years of constant support or it's a no sell. I believe the market is voting with their wallets that way already.

 

[Megatomic]

Yes, I was saving my pennies to buy the 2015 Moto X Pure Edition. When this news came to light to me it was a clear sign of things to come. Now I'm looking at either a Nexus or moving to another platform for this product cycle. Too bad really, I liked the 2015 Moto X.

 

[poofyhairguy]

It is sad, we need more options with fast updates and not less.

 

[ThisIsChrisKim]

No update for AT&T and Verizon variants of the 2014 Moto X is a killer. Particularly for a flagship.

Wonder if the 2015 Moto X will be a one and done, as well?

 

[lothar]

There is a lot of people in the Android community who are very upset with Motorola this week when it was discovered that the company doesn't plan to bring Android Marshmallow to the AT&T or Verizon versions of the Moto X 2014, or the 2015 Moto E:

http://www.greenbot.com/article/298...-list-of-motorolas-upgrade-worthy-phones.html

The worst part is this quote from February when the Moto E launched:



Technically 5.0 to 5.1 meets that promise, but it still looks like bad for for a company that sells phones that many people consider to be Nexus alternatives to dump a device not even a year old. I think the fast update reputation for Motorola is now shattered, especially when you consider how long it took them to get the Moto X 2013 Lollipop update out.

Does this change what you think about Moto or their devices? Do you care about updates or is the stock ROM more the appeal?

Not really, when it comes to the Moto X Pure. Their other carrier locked devices, I never really cared about them in the first place so this does not change a thing for me. I've stopped buying phones from carriers over 4 years ago, and I don't ever plan to do so again.

Motorola it seems has now decided to do a complete U-turn and change strategy this year to avoid the carriers completely. They are pulling a Google. None of their 2015 flagship phones are being sold on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile this year so far. Only from them directly, or Amazon and other places, and they provide $0 down financing as well for people who are used to the typical $200 with monthly payments(AKA contracts) from the US carriers.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/smartphones/motorola/
http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/smartphones.html

So yes, I expect their devices to provide fast updates, if not faster than they have in the past.
Yes, what Moto did was essentially throw the baby out with bathwater so to speak...They should have at least provided updates to last years carrier phones otherwise they could lose "some" loyal customers. I say "some" because regardless of the situation, they will still lose most of their customers from them choosing to refuse to sell Moto X 2015(Play, Style, and Pure) to AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers. Them providing a Marshmallow update for last years phones wouldn't change the outcome because the fact of the matter is...Most US customers get their phones from the carrier stores and not from the manufacturer. If anything, it's an unnecessary cost to support most people that won't be their customer in the future. I guess that is Moto(or should I say Lenovo?) point of view. No need to waste money.

Regarding the 2015 Moto E, it seems people don't know how to read and are jumping to conclusions.
Really people, it's no different from reading the fine print from a credit card statement.
Moto never promised updates in perpetuity for the Moto E.

 

[Sid59]

There was too much beehive/circlejerking when Motorola rode that wave of fast Kit Kat updates. Their products were developed at 4.3 and with 4.4 on the cusp, they certainly provided quick updates. Outside of that point release, there was nothing that showed Motorola was on track to provide fast updates across the board.

 

[lothar]

It is sad, we need more options with fast updates and not less.

You still have it.
It's called the Moto X Pure, it's unlocked, free of carrier bloat, and it supports all bands from the major US carriers.
And did I mention that you can buy it for $0 down as well directly from Motorola?

Us tech geeks on Anandtech shouldn't have problems getting this phone if we really want it.
However if one is a lemming/sheep like most people in public are that only know the US carrier stores as the only place to get phones, or if you're the type that you buy whatever the Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile sales rep tells you to get at their store despite their own limited knowledge of said phones/technology, then clearly it is a loss.

Be the lemming with the life vest.

 

[lothar]

There was too much beehive/circlejerking when Motorola rode that wave of fast Kit Kat updates. Their products were developed at 4.3 and with 4.4 on the cusp, they certainly provided quick updates. Outside of that point release, there was nothing that showed Motorola was on track to provide fast updates across the board.

They provided Android 5.1 before any other manufacturer(Samsung, LG, HTC, and Sony included) here in the US.
So yes, they're still faster than all other OEMs. Obviously they're not faster than Google themselves of course, but they're still faster than all their competitors.

 

[sweenish]

Us tech geeks on Anandtech

I've been finding out that's not a thing. Not on this board, anyway.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Motorola it seems has now decided to do a complete U-turn and change strategy this year to avoid the carriers completely.

That isn't a new thing though. Moto has had the "pure" or developer editions from the start.

And to be honest the track record for the previous Moto X 2014 Pure edition isn't great. Android 5.1 came out in March of this year and it didn't come out on the Pure edition until late May:

http://9to5google.com/2015/05/28/android-5-1-moto-x-pure-edition/

That is a whole two months after release, which is slower than it took my GPe M8 to get the update (I got it in April) and almost a slow as Samsung (the International S6 got 5.1 in June). For some people two months isn't a huge deal, but that isn't even on the same planet as Nexus devices. A Nexus will have two monthly updates by then.

What happened with the 2013 X is even worse. It NEVER got 5.0, they skipped straight to 5.1. And even the developer edition had to wait (again) till May to get that update. I had a friend who had a 2013 Moto X that was pretty ticked off that I got 5.1 before he even got 5.0.

So Moto's track record is pretty spotty IMHO, even on non carrier devices. I can see it being good enough for some people, and I would much rather have Moto's version of Android over say Asus's or Samsungs. But if you are buying a 2015 Moto expecting Nexus-like updates then I think there is a chance you might be let down.

So yes, I expect their devices to provide fast updates, if not faster than they have in the past.

Why would they get faster? The whole uproar is how Motorola is moving in the wrong direction when it comes to updates. It seems obvious the longer they get away from being part of Google the less that is a priority. If anything they are getting slower, the 2013 X got Kitkat lightening fast and then got Lollipop seven months after its release. That is a bad trend for Moto owners.

No need to waste money.

How is it wasted money? The Verizon and AT&T Moto X 2014s owners have had the phone for at most a year. Last year both Verizon and A&T still had subsidy plans, so there is a person out there who got one with a two year contract who will only have an updated phone half of those two years. I almost went that route myself, thank god the 64GB 2014 Moto X wasn't available at launch or that would have been my situation.

Even worse is the fact that Samsung has clearly said 6.0 is coming to the Galaxy S5 that was released earlier in the year than the Moto X. Oh and the fact that the non-carrier Moto X 2014 WILL get a Marshmallow update. So its not like they had to "waste" money on making the update, it was already being made. Lenovo is just refusing to pay what it takes to get that update through the AT&T and Verizon approval process, which is ridiculous.

I mean, the kind of people that bought Moto Xs instead of Galaxies are on average going to be more tech savvy and care more about updates. No matter how they came to your brand- Amazon, their website, or the AT&T store- you burn them as a customer by refusing to provide updates.

Regarding the 2015 Moto E, it seems people don't know how to read and are jumping to conclusions.
Really people, it's no different from reading the fine print from a credit card statement.
Moto never promised updates in perpetuity for the Moto E.

Sure the fine print tells the story, but the fact that you even compare it to a credit card statement shows how shitty of a practice this sort of thing is. The 2014 Moto E went from 4.4 to 5.1 and that set expectations. It is obvious that Lenovo is starting to go BACKWARDS on updates which is why everyone is upset.

In the big picture it makes sense because Lenovo cut 3,200 jobs earlier this year:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33900230

We don't know how many worked on Android (if any) but it is obvious Lenovo is in a cost cutting mode and there is evidence that is having an effect on their Motorola products when it comes to updates. That sort of thing certainly influences my purchase decisions, but I understand if someone cares less about updates.

 

[Sheep]

"Ruined" is a bit strong. We'll need to see if poor update support becomes a trend. Even with their recent update faux pas, Motorola is still one of the few hardware manufacturers I'd consider since they use a near-stock Android largely devoid of bloatware and I like their relatively minimalist hardware design language.

That said, I was considering my options between the two new Nexuses and the Moto X Pure and eliminated the X because of the potential lack of updates, so maybe "ruined" isn't that inaccurate.

 

[lothar]

That isn't a new thing though. Moto has had the "pure" or developer editions from the start.

And to be honest the track record for the previous Moto X 2014 Pure edition isn't great. Android 5.1 came out in March of this year and it didn't come out on the Pure edition until late May:

http://9to5google.com/2015/05/28/android-5-1-moto-x-pure-edition/

That is a whole two months after release, which is slower than it took my GPe M8 to get the update (I got it in April) and almost a slow as Samsung (the International S6 got 5.1 in June). For some people two months isn't a huge deal, but that isn't even on the same planet as Nexus devices. A Nexus will have two monthly updates by then.

What happened with the 2013 X is even worse. It NEVER got 5.0, they skipped straight to 5.1. And even the developer edition had to wait (again) till May to get that update. I had a friend who had a 2013 Moto X that was pretty ticked off that I got 5.1 before he even got 5.0.

So Moto's track record is pretty spotty IMHO, even on non carrier devices. I can see it being good enough for some people, and I would much rather have Moto's version of Android over say Asus's or Samsungs. But if you are buying a 2015 Moto expecting Nexus-like updates then I think there is a chance you might be let down.



Why would they get faster? The whole uproar is how Motorola is moving in the wrong direction when it comes to updates. It seems obvious the longer they get away from being part of Google the less that is a priority. If anything they are getting slower, the 2013 X got Kitkat lightening fast and then got Lollipop seven months after its release. That is a bad trend for Moto owners.



How is it wasted money? The Verizon and AT&T Moto X 2014s owners have had the phone for at most a year. Last year both Verizon and A&T still had subsidy plans, so there is a person out there who got one with a two year contract who will only have an updated phone half of those two years. I almost went that route myself, thank god the 64GB 2014 Moto X wasn't available at launch or that would have been my situation.

Even worse is the fact that Samsung has clearly said 6.0 is coming to the Galaxy S5 that was released earlier in the year than the Moto X. Oh and the fact that the non-carrier Moto X 2014 WILL get a Marshmallow update. So its not like they had to "waste" money on making the update, it was already being made. Lenovo is just refusing to pay what it takes to get that update through the AT&T and Verizon approval process, which is ridiculous.

I mean, the kind of people that bought Moto Xs instead of Galaxies are on average going to be more tech savvy and care more about updates. No matter how they came to your brand- Amazon, their website, or the AT&T store- you burn them as a customer by refusing to provide updates.



Sure the fine print tells the story, but the fact that you even compare it to a credit card statement shows how shitty of a practice this sort of thing is. The 2014 Moto E went from 4.4 to 5.1 and that set expectations. It is obvious that Lenovo is starting to go BACKWARDS on updates which is why everyone is upset.

In the big picture it makes sense because Lenovo cut 3,200 jobs earlier this year:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33900230

We don't know how many worked on Android (if any) but it is obvious Lenovo is in a cost cutting mode and there is evidence that is having an effect on their Motorola products when it comes to updates. That sort of thing certainly influences my purchase decisions, but I understand if someone cares less about updates.

It's a new thing that they're no longer making carrier versions of their phones.

Stop comparing Moto to Nexus and GPe devices. It is irrational for one to expect Moto updates to be as quick as Google in providing Android updates.
Compare Moto to Samsung, LG, HTC, Sony, Asus, etc...Not Google.
Is Moto still faster than all those manufacturers in providing updates? Yes.

Regarding Lollipop, Moto X 2013 was a special case since it used a custom processor.
And again which Android phone from 2013 had 5.1 before Moto?
Moto X 2013 was released the same year as the S4, One M7, and LG G2. Show me evidence that any of those phones got Android 5.1 before the Moto X 2013.

That is exactly what the problem is...Stop expecting fast Nexus like updates.
Just re-calibrate your meter down a notch and expect "Faster than Samsung, LG, HTC, Sony, Asus, etc..." and it wouldn't be a problem.
You are arguing over the time frame compared to Google Nexus and expecting it to be released the same day or a few days after. I'm arguing over the time frame compared to the other Android manufacturers.
Compare the developer edition of Moto X to the developer edition of Samsung Galaxy whatever, or the international version.
Don't compare one to Google Nexus and compare the other to non-Nexus devices because that is not fair at all.
I feel we're basically arguing over the same thing here, just different semantics.

It's wasted money from Motorola/Lenovo's point of view. You bought their phone and they've already booked the gains from said product that you purchased. If you're a person that only buys phone from the carrier stores, and Motorola has already decided that they won't sell new phones in the carrier store; then you probably won't buy their phone at anytime in the future unless you have geek friends that tell you to go to Motorola.com and purchase from there. That means you're costing them money to provide support with zero chance that you'll end-up buying their future product unless again there is a geek that points you to Motorola.com

They don't have to waste money making an update, they have to waste money going through the carrier certification process for each carrier.
Verizon and AT&T might say "We don't like Android Pay/Samsung Pay/Doze/new permissions/whatever new feature, we want to delay it", or "Wait until VZ Navigator, VCast, or some other carrier bloatware app becomes compatible with Marshmallow 6.0 to prevent crashes".

I'm not sure why anyone expects the latest Android update on a $99-130 device.
Let me know when Samsung promises Marshmallow Android 6.0 on whatever $99-130 device, then I will shed a tear.
Moto has to earn a profit. If that means they have to be as lean as Samsung is in not supporting their $100 phones in getting the latest Android update to earn a profit and not become another HTC, then so be it.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Stop comparing Moto to Nexus and GPe devices. It is irrational for one to expect Moto updates to be as quick as Google in providing Android updates.
Compare Moto to Samsung, LG, HTC, Sony, Asus, etc...Not Google.
Is Moto still faster than all those manufacturers in providing updates? Yes.

GPe devices have updates that come from the hardware maker (so HTC or LG) and not Google. The only real difference with GPe devices is that ROM doesn't come with the skin. Google has nothing to do with the update though (besides the usual of providing the base OS).

Regarding Lollipop, Moto X 2013 was a special case since it used a custom processor.
And again which Android phone from 2013 had 5.1 before Moto?

The GPe M7 got its 5.1 update from HTC a few weeks before the Moto X did:

http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m7_google_play_edition_finally_receives_android_51-news-12243.php

The real issue though isn't how fast the Moto X got 5.1, it is how slow it got ANY 5.x OS. The Moto X 2013 first tasted Lollipop in any form in May of this year, which is when carrier Galaxy S4 devices were getting 5.x. The G2 got Lollipop in March as a comparison.

In fact if you want to talk about a 2013 phone that is good with updates I would point to the LG G2. UNLIKE the Moto X from that year it is getting Marshmallow:

http://www.vcpost.com/articles/97026/20151007/android-6-0-marshmallow-update-lg-g2-confirmed.htm

So even compared to the LG's of the world Moto could do better.

It's wasted money from Motorola/Lenovo's point of view. You bought their phone and they've already booked the gains from said product that you purchased. If you're a person that only buys phone from the carrier stores, and Motorola has already decided that they won't sell new phones in the carrier store; then you probably won't buy their phone at anytime in the future unless you have geek friends that tell you to go to Motorola.com and purchase from there. That means you're costing them money to provide support with zero chance that you'll end-up buying their future product unless again there is a geek that points you to Motorola.com

Two things on that:

1. The whole reason that Motorola is moving to that model is because most carriers are getting rid of subsidies. The point for Motorola is to get consumers to pay them $400 upfront rather than finance a $800 phone from a competitor. The same Verizon customer that last year bought a phone on a subsidy is now directly part of their target market for the new business plan.

2. As it is right now most consumers don't expect to buy phones outright, they are conditioned to expect per-month or subsidy pricing. The main market of people buying $300+ phones outright is the enthusiast market, aka the kind of people who have been paying out of pocket for Nexuses for years. It is this EXACT group of people who demand updates, and by not putting Marshmallow on ANY recent flagship device sends a message to that group that updates are a bonus and not a guarantee.

Make no mistake, this move with the 2014 Xs cost Motorola some 2015 sales even if it saved them some money in the short term.

I'm not sure why anyone expects the latest Android update on a $99-130 device.

Because Moto themselves set that expectation. The Moto G came out in 2013 with Android 4.3. Recently it got an update to 5.1, which means it got three times as many updates as the 2015 Moto E.

I don't mind personally as much the Moto E situation because you know what you get with cheap phones. The decision to not jump through whatever hoops it takes to get 6.0 to AT&T and Verizon Moto X customers is absolutely inexcusable though. The very definition of penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[tsupersonic]

I don't like the direction that Lenovo is taking the company...However, I do like my Moto G 2015. It has basically a stock Android experience, gets amazing battery life (6-8 hrs of SOT), supports microSD cards, and is cheap. I just hope it gets updated to at least whatever comes after Marshmallow.

 

[zerogear]

Isn't Sony's fairly consistent with their updates too? Only Z1 has been left out of Marshmallow update.

 

[lothar]

GPe devices have updates that come from the hardware maker (so HTC or LG) and not Google. The only real difference with GPe devices is that ROM doesn't come with the skin. Google has nothing to do with the update though (besides the usual of providing the base OS).



The GPe M7 got its 5.1 update from HTC a few weeks before the Moto X did:

http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m7_google_play_edition_finally_receives_android_51-news-12243.php

The real issue though isn't how fast the Moto X got 5.1, it is how slow it got ANY 5.x OS. The Moto X 2013 first tasted Lollipop in any form in May of this year, which is when carrier Galaxy S4 devices were getting 5.x. The G2 got Lollipop in March as a comparison.

Which brings up another point...
GPe devices are updated by the manufacturers. If these same manufacturers are able to update GPe devices about a week or two after Nexus devices why the hell do they still take 3 months to update their "Developer Edition" versions? And why does an HTC M7 GPe device from 2013 have 5.1.1, but yet HTC's own 2013, 2014, or 2015 flagships(developer editions) don't? They are all updated by HTC as we know and the carriers aren't involved here.

You can't keep criticizing only Moto and giving all the other manufacturers a free pass.
Here is a perfect example:
http://www.androidcentral.com/only-google-play-edition-htc-one-m7-will-be-update-android-51
M7 GPe is updated to 5.1.1 by HTC the manufacturer as you claim. So why the heck can't they update their M7 Carrier versions to Android 5.1.1? They can't blame the carriers on this one because even the M7 Developer edition is not getting 5.1.1. Why can't they update their M7 Developer edition to 5.1.1, but they can update the M7 GPe edition? How much sense does that make, especially when Google and the carriers are not responsible for Android updates on the GPe M7 and M7 Developer edition?

Again the M7(both carrier and Developer editions), a phone released by HTC is not getting Android 5.1.1 but a Moto X released the same year in 2013 is?

I find your LG example to be completely hilarious because the G2 is still on freaking 5.0.1 Lollipop. The "Windows Vista" of Android.
I don't take LG at their word and their record certainly proves that.
If you've been complaining about Moto going from 4.4 to 5.1 while skipping 5.0 in between, then surely you should be doing the same to LG because they're still running 5.0.1 Lollipop. Android 5.1 was released in March over 7 months ago. Moto X 2013 got it at the end of May. 2 months late or 7+ months late and counting, which company is worse here?

In fact if you want to talk about a 2013 phone that is good with updates I would point to the LG G2. UNLIKE the Moto X from that year it is getting Marshmallow:

http://www.vcpost.com/articles/97026/20151007/android-6-0-marshmallow-update-lg-g2-confirmed.htm

So even compared to the LG's of the world Moto could do better.

There is zero evidence that the G2 is getting Marshmallow, and I do not at all find that website to be credible.
It doesn't even list any sources to support it's conclusion.

LG G2 is finally getting the much-anticipated Android 6.0 Marshmallow update as T-Mobile revealed on its website in a track list with a few other phones as well from Samsung, Sony, Motorola, and HTC, among others. Flagship phones G3 and G2, as well as G Stylo, are also included on the list.

https://support.t-mobile.com/community/phones-tablets-devices/software-updates
I don't see a G2 anywhere on this list, but if anyone sees it then please be sure to point it out.

Amazing what websites will publish these days just to get the first hit on a Google search.
I did a search in Google for "LG G2 Marshmallow" and that website was the first link.
Do you have any credible website reporting that the G2 will receive Marshmallow?
And by credible; I mean Android Police, Android Central, ArsTechnica, Droid-Life, or Anandtech journalism standards and not some link to a random website that says "G2 has been benchmarked on Marshmallow" or that "It's on T-Mobile's update page", which it is not.
There has been zero statement from LG stating it to be a fact to that effect that the G2 is indeed getting Marshmallow.

Two things on that:

1. The whole reason that Motorola is moving to that model is because most carriers are getting rid of subsidies. The point for Motorola is to get consumers to pay them $400 upfront rather than finance a $800 phone from a competitor. The same Verizon customer that last year bought a phone on a subsidy is now directly part of their target market for the new business plan.

2. As it is right now most consumers don't expect to buy phones outright, they are conditioned to expect per-month or subsidy pricing. The main market of people buying $300+ phones outright is the enthusiast market, aka the kind of people who have been paying out of pocket for Nexuses for years. It is this EXACT group of people who demand updates, and by not putting Marshmallow on ANY recent flagship device sends a message to that group that updates are a bonus and not a guarantee.

Make no mistake, this move with the 2014 Xs cost Motorola some 2015 sales even if it saved them some money in the short term.



Because Moto themselves set that expectation. The Moto G came out in 2013 with Android 4.3. Recently it got an update to 5.1, which means it got three times as many updates as the 2015 Moto E.

I don't mind personally as much the Moto E situation because you know what you get with cheap phones. The decision to not jump through whatever hoops it takes to get 6.0 to AT&T and Verizon Moto X customers is absolutely inexcusable though. The very definition of penny wise and pound foolish.

1.) If that was the case, then we'd see Samsung, LG, Sony, and HTC follow Motorola in that regard. Motorola isn't moving to their current model because carriers are getting rid of subsidies. The carriers haven't gotten rid of contracts/subsidies, they just call it something different. Some call it "monthly" payments, some call it "financing", some call it "leasing" payments, and others are calling it other things. The fact of the matter is these subsidies are still in place, the carriers are just changing the vocabulary but it still means the same thing as far as I'm concerned.

2.) Those people you described would have gotten Moto X Pure, and not stupid locked down carrier versions. I don't know anyone who describes themselves as an enthusiast, pays $300-400 cash down with no subsidy, and yet choses to get an AT&T Moto X 2014 instead of getting the unlocked version directly from Motorola themselves. I also don't know any Nexus fan that would get the AT&T version.

I am of the opinion that those people you describe in #2 are rational beings, and if they are then they would have gotten the Moto X pure instead of paying full price for locked down carrier versions with bloat. Why the heck would anyone pay $300-400 cash from AT&T for a Moto X 2014 when they can go directly to Motorola's website and buy an unlocked version that can be rooted and have fast updates without requiring the carrier meddling in between?
That's more stupid than paying full price for an iPhone at a carrier store, when one can simply go to an Apple store(or Apple.com) and buy an unlocked version.

So in conclusion, the idea that LG or HTC is more credible than Motorola when it comes to Android updates has been debunked.
Which manufacturer is next? Samsung? Asus? Sony? I can debunk those as well.

Again, if you want update perfection, stick with Google Nexus. There is no alternative.
Otherwise Moto X Pure represents a distant 2nd best option for Android update fanatics.

 

[lothar]

Isn't Sony's fairly consistent with their updates too? Only Z1 has been left out of Marshmallow update.

Not really. It looks consistent, but if you dig further it's really not.
Sony releases 2 flagship phones each year.
Z4 and Z5 are 2015 flagships.
Z2 and Z3 are 2014 flagships.
Z1 is a 2013 flagship.

In conclusion, Sony is no different from the other manufacturers. Samsung, LG, HTC, and others are all updating their 2014/2015 flagship phones to Marshmallow.
Any Android device released in 2013 running Marshmallow is a rare species.

Sony looks nice because everybody thinks "Wow!!! the Z2, Z3, Z4, and Z5 are getting Marshmallow!!!" without taken into account that Sony releases 2 flagship phones a year.
Z4 and Z5 are in the same category as One M9 and Galaxy S6...They are 2015 flagship phones.
Z2 and Z3 are in the same category as One M8 and Galaxy S5...They are 2014 flagship phones.
Z1 is a 2013 flagship and is not getting Marshmallow update.

 

[slackerinabox]

What I don't get is why do companies do this, they must know that it alienates the early adopters, the people who help push an industry forward? Is upgrading android really that difficult/cost prohibitive? Is it incredibly labor intensive? With most cellphones using qualcom chips, shouldn't 'driver support' or other compatibility issues be minimized across devices?

Also, how hard would it be for bug updates/security patches to follow a windows approach -update the core components that need updating and skip the device manufacturer all together. I just don't get it, everyone else in the industry does it better so there must be something specific to android that I can't wrap my head around. Yeah, lots of different hardware to support but that never stopped the PC industry (and, really, with SOCs you're really talking about a small handful of players)

 

[poofyhairguy]

What I don't get is why do companies do this, they must know that it alienates the early adopters, the people who help push an industry forward? Is upgrading android really that difficult/cost prohibitive? Is it incredibly labor intensive?

Well yes. It is making an OS. So that means putting it together and then fixing all the bugs that an XDA rom maker might not fix.

Plus there is the pain of getting it through carrier approval. Really they hold up updates more than anyone. No single entity in Android has the power Apple has to force them to accept OS updates on their network without getting to look at the updates first.

With most cellphones using qualcom chips, shouldn't 'driver support' or other compatibility issues be minimized across devices?

SoC is only part of it. They also have to get the camera to work (there are many sensors) or things like a fingerprint reader or NFC.

Also, how hard would it be for bug updates/security patches to follow a windows approach -update the core components that need updating and skip the device manufacturer all together.

Not very if it was that way from the start. Chrome OS is that way. Android Wear is like that too. And Nexus devices.

Problem with main Android is Google got it off the ground by allowing skinning, and OEMs have relied on skinning as a way to differentiate their brand.

Now the horse is out of the barn and Google lacks the leverage to put the genie back in the bottle. They tell Samsung "run stock Android without Touchwiz" and Samsung could say back "Screw you. We are forking Android and taking most of the high end users with us." Any attempt for Google to fix the problem would further fragment the ecosystem.

If regular people cared more about updates a Samsung would have to fix the problem themselves. But people don't so they won't.

 

[Crono]

OEMs are unintentionally doing everything they can to push enthusiasts into Nexus. If I buy a new Android phone this year it's looking like I'm going to go Nexus (5X). I wasn't expect my current phone (2013 Moto X) to get an official update, but abandoning a flagship 2014 device and reneging on promised updates to the Moto E is very off-putting.

It's also kind of sad that these companies can't keep updates going for hardware 1-3 years old, especially as "good enough" hardware has made upgrading every year or every two years less compelling.

 

[poofyhairguy]

OEMs are unintentionally doing everything they can to push enthusiasts into Nexus

So true. And it sucks given how every Nexus has to come with some flaw compared to other flagships.

Too bad the Google Play program is dead. Could you imagine a Google Play S6 or G4? Either would easily be the best enthusiast phone of the year.

 

[podspi]

I think even more important are security updates. I'm honestly not too concerned about the major releases (that might just be the lollipop hangover - I actually avoided it on most of my devices), especially with more and more functionality being rolled into Google Play Services.


But not releasing security updates for 2yrs+ is inexcusable. Heck, I'd argue they should release them for even longer. Google really needs to fix the Android update situation, if only for that reason. Look how long the Lumia 520 is getting updates... (or any of the iPhones)

 

[sweenish]

Are you talking about Google, or OEMs?

Google will release 3 years of security updates to the Nexus line.

 

[ControlD]

So true. And it sucks given how every Nexus has to come with some flaw compared to other flagships.

True, but every other flagship has an even bigger flaw compared to the Nexus line in my opinion: lack of proper updates. I'll settle for a camera without OIS every day if I can get timely updates.