Where is ICS?

[lothar]

Yes I can compare them and I do! What a load of nonsense that Android should be held to a different standard of support than Apple -- utter nonsense!

I don't care that Apple has far fewer handsets -- I DON"T CARE!

Apple is one company and the Android world is many companies that are only responsible for THERE handsets and are not coding for anyone else.

When an iPhone customer can expect about 2 years of FULL support and years more of partial support and we Android users would be lucky to see 6 months of support and often none at all I think there is reason for those of use with Android handsets to get f'n mad about this. It really pisses me off when apologists make excuses that ultimately reinforce the idea that we accept this situation so the carriers and makers can continue to NOT SUPPORT us.

Now that this lack of support has become an unchangeable fact for Android I am certain that the market share gains Android has made will begin to reverse and it serves the makers right!


Brian

Stop complaining about updates and get a Nexus. You would get the same 2 years of official support and support from the modding community which is even better in some cases. If Google stops updating it's phones after 6 months, you would have a point.

-Lothar

 

[ponyo]

Stop complaining about updates and get a Nexus. You would get the same 2 years of official support and support from the modding community which is even better in some cases. If Google stops updating it's phones after 6 months, you would have a point.

-Lothar

And if Nexus isn't released on your carrier? This is Verizon's first Nexus. Who's to say Verizon is going to get the new JellyBean Nexus phone. Google has a history of preferring GSM over CDMA.

I'm with Brian on the Android update problem. It's a huge problem. I didn't know before when I bought the Samsung Vibrant. But I learned from that experience and knew better not to consider any other Android phone when I bought the Galaxy Nexus. It's big enough issue that I'm willing to leave Android if the next Nexus isn't up to par compared to the iPhone. Because in my eyes, there's only one Android phone worth buying and that's the Nexus. Every other Android phone is an orphan and should not be purchased. So it's always going to be Nexus vs iPhone for me. Galaxy SIII and everything else is just filler til this slow or no update situation is solved.

 

[Rambusted]

And if Nexus isn't released on your carrier? This is Verizon's first Nexus. Who's to say Verizon is going to get the new JellyBean Nexus phone. Google has a history of preferring GSM over CDMA.

I'm with Brian on the Android update problem. It's a huge problem. I didn't know before when I bought the Samsung Vibrant. But I learned from that experience and knew better not to consider any other Android phone when I bought the Galaxy Nexus. It's big enough issue that I'm willing to leave Android if the next Nexus isn't up to par compared to the iPhone. Because in my eyes, there's only one Android phone worth buying and that's the Nexus. Every other Android phone is an orphan and should not be purchased. So it's always going to be Nexus vs iPhone for me. Galaxy SIII and everything else is just filler til this slow or no update situation is solved.

Android is open, manufacturers are allowed to do with it as they see fit with each device they make. I agree with you if the most up to date software is your only concern than a nexus or iphone are your only choices. But seeing the success that the GSII and the evo4g have had I dont see how this is a problem for the vast majority of users. I doubt that any of the nexus phones have outsold the evo or gsII. This is a tech site and caters to a very narrow segment of the market. Naturally people here are pissed off about the lack of support. But phones arent like power supplies and video cards, everybody carries a phone even the people who dont give a hoot about +12v ratings and memory bandwidth.

 

[lothar]

And if Nexus isn't released on your carrier? This is Verizon's first Nexus. Who's to say Verizon is going to get the new JellyBean Nexus phone. Google has a history of preferring GSM over CDMA.

I'm with Brian on the Android update problem. It's a huge problem. I didn't know before when I bought the Samsung Vibrant. But I learned from that experience and knew better not to consider any other Android phone when I bought the Galaxy Nexus. It's big enough issue that I'm willing to leave Android if the next Nexus isn't up to par compared to the iPhone. Because in my eyes, there's only one Android phone worth buying and that's the Nexus. Every other Android phone is an orphan and should not be purchased. So it's always going to be Nexus vs iPhone for me. Galaxy SIII and everything else is just filler til this slow or no update situation is solved.

Either import it, change to a carrier that has it, or wait 6 months(see Nexus S on Sprint/AT&T) for your carrier to get it.
When the iPhone and Nexus were not on Verizon and that was your carrier, what would you have done?

If Verizon wasn't being a control freak like they were when Steve Jobs originally brought the iPhone to them or them banning Google Wallet from the Verizon Nexus, there would be no inherent preference from Google in GSM over CDMA except by pure market statistic numbers.

About the Android update problem...I knew this going in.
That's why it's either Nexus or full community dev support(which the international Galaxy S2 has more than any other phone besides the Nexus) for me.
I didn't buy the half-assed T-Mobile, Sprint, or the numerous AT&T versions for a reason.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Stop complaining about updates and get a Nexus. You would get the same 2 years of official support and support from the modding community which is even better in some cases. If Google stops updating it's phones after 6 months, you would have a point.

-Lothar

I have a SGNexus! It's for that reason that I know ICS smokes HC! I also have the SGTab 7.7 and it does NOT have ICS.

But, the idea that I should run out and buy a new phone, paying ETF's and all that just so I can get the latest OS is absolutely pathetic! What the hells wrong with people that they don't bother to think things through...


Brian

 

[Brian Stirling]

Either import it, change to a carrier that has it, or wait 6 months(see Nexus S on Sprint/AT&T) for your carrier to get it.
When the iPhone and Nexus were not on Verizon and that was your carrier, what would you have done?

If Verizon wasn't being a control freak like they were when Steve Jobs originally brought the iPhone to them or them banning Google Wallet from the Verizon Nexus, there would be no inherent preference from Google in GSM over CDMA except by pure market statistic numbers.

About the Android update problem...I knew this going in.
That's why it's either Nexus or full community dev support(which the international Galaxy S2 has more than any other phone besides the Nexus) for me.
I didn't buy the half-assed T-Mobile, Sprint, or the numerous AT&T versions for a reason.

Yes, the carriers are playing games and Apple managed to win over them in this area and limit the bloat the carriers and makers pollute the device with. I don't see any of the other makers having the kind of clout that Apple has to demand things be 'like Apple' so we're stuck with the carrier and maker bloat. The PC world is like this with many PC makers packaging crapware because they're paid to do so by the crapware makers. The difference is crapware on a PC is relatively easily removed but not so on a mobile device. I think the DoJ needs to look at this point.

Once again, I have had a SGNexus since late December but the idea that I should have to dump a current device so as to buy a new one that comes with the latest OS is not going to fly long term. Mark my words ... sooner or later Android will begin to lose market share to Apple because of this issue.


Brian

 

[Rambusted]

I bought a sensation after being burned by the fiasco that was my g2x. I should have waited for the next nexus, but I needed a new toy now. My phone is good, its got nice specs and a pretty qhd display, but sense crashes 5 Times a day. I am hoping that htc brings me ics in March but even if they do it will be covered with sense anyway. But I knew this going in and I fail to see how this is anyone's fault but my own.

 

[smartpatrol]

Mark my words ... sooner or later Android will begin to lose market share to Apple because of this issue.

The first step will be losing developer support. E.G. Mika Mobile, the devs behind Battleheart, are abandoning Android because it's simply not worth the effort:

http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/03/10/mika.mobile.says.android.money.losing.platform/

"I would have preferred spending that time on more content for you, but instead I was thanklessly modifying shaders and texture formats to work on different GPUs, or pushing out patches to support new devices without crashing, or walking someone through how to fix an installation that wouldn't go through," one half of the husband and wife duo said. "We spent thousands on various test hardware. These are the unsung necessities of offering our apps on Android."

 

[poofyhairguy]

Mark my words ... sooner or later Android will begin to lose market share to Apple because of this issue.

I don't think Android risks marketshare on the issue. Its market share gains is driven by the value ("free phone") segment who probably care the least about OS updates (as they often buy phones that come with old Android).

Where I can see it affecting Android is a retreat from the high-end of the market.

 

[senseamp]

When's LG Optimus V getting ICS?

 

[Brian Stirling]

I don't think Android risks marketshare on the issue. Its market share gains is driven by the value ("free phone") segment who probably care the least about OS updates (as they often buy phones that come with old Android).

Where I can see it affecting Android is a retreat from the high-end of the market.

Perhaps, but I wouldn't count on Apple staying out of the mid and even low end over time. They don't have to make money on the handset when they make a killing off apps and media. I think there move to the 7.85" tab suggests they intend to kill Android one way or another. They won't succeed, but they can make it virtually unprofitable. Google and the carriers may not have an immediate stake in the profitability thing as there business model is cash flow and/or ad driven, but the makers need to profit from selling handsets and this is what Apple is targeting.

Android has strengths and weaknesses. It would be wise for Google to work on the weaknesses -- OS rollout is certainly one of them. Google may not have an immediate profit concern like the makers do, but, over time, if the makers stop making Android devices because there's no profit in them then Google is f'd in the long term...


Brian

 

[SickBeast]

I don't find ics much different from gingerbread. It's nice though.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I don't find ics much different from gingerbread. It's nice though.

are you on vanilla ICS? or some bloatware like sense?

 

[SickBeast]

Cm9

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Cm9

oh. well the CM9 is still alpha/beta/nightlies so... :/

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

CM9 is far from fully functional. Maybe on the Nexus devices it's very good (haven't touched CM9 on my Nexus S for over a month).

I wouldn't be surprised if CM9 lacked a lot of features CM7 had as simply device support isn't there yet. While ICS is nice, I'll stick to CM7 as my daily driver.

 

[iahk]

I have a SGNexus! It's for that reason that I know ICS smokes HC! I also have the SGTab 7.7 and it does NOT have ICS.

But, the idea that I should run out and buy a new phone, paying ETF's and all that just so I can get the latest OS is absolutely pathetic! What the hells wrong with people that they don't bother to think things through...


Brian

I don't know your post history, but it seriously seems you're trolling at this point.

Does this guy always post like this?

 

[dagamer34]

I don't find ics much different from gingerbread. It's nice though.

As a developer, it's far easier to make an app conform to the ICS design guidelines than what existed before (in fact, I don't think they cared before, Android looked ugly to me). But ICS I could live with.

 

[shabby]

#sgs2 #winning!

 

[Brian Stirling]

I don't know your post history, but it seriously seems you're trolling at this point.

Does this guy always post like this?

What the hell are you babbling about? If you don't know my post history you can look it up - you do know how to use a computer -- right?

But, are you suggesting that the far crappier support Android users have is OK relative to Apple users? If Apple FULLY supports there phones for 2 years and maintains lesser support for years longer are you of the opinion that it's OK for Samsung, Moto, HTC, etc to orphan a device the moment you buy it?

Look, there are many Android customers because it offers a cheaper entry into smartphone than Apple but I'm not one of those customers. I want a high end device with performance and capabilities AND something Apple hasn't found it necessary to provide -- A BIGGER PHONE THAN THE IPHONE! When the HTC EVO 4G came out it was the first Android device with a screen that large (4.3") -- way bigger than the iP3G I had at the time.

Apple continues to offer small phones so when it came time to get another smartphone Android was the only game in town, outside of the 3 people that own Windows phones, to offer a hardware platform that's better than the iP4/iP4s. I was really interested in the SGNote but Sammy just can't seem to bring phones to the USA much earlier than 4 months after the rest of the world gets them and I didn't want to import so I wound up getting the SGNexus. Now the SGNexus comes with ICS so I know what it has to offer and compared to HC, which I have on my new SGTab 7.7, ICS flat smokes HC.

Now the first question I have is ... how long before Sammy/Verizon rolls out ICS for my tab? The next question is ... if Sammy ever decides to give me ICS on the tab will that be it? Will I ever see anything after ICS? Will I even see ICS? If I were using Apple I would not have to ask these questions!

As much as I hate Apples business practices, particularly there legal ones, if they come out with a phone model that's large enough for me I can easily see the SGNexus being my last Android phone.


Brian

 

[lothar]

I have a SGNexus! It's for that reason that I know ICS smokes HC! I also have the SGTab 7.7 and it does NOT have ICS.

But, the idea that I should run out and buy a new phone, paying ETF's and all that just so I can get the latest OS is absolutely pathetic! What the hells wrong with people that they don't bother to think things through...


Brian

The devices you're running has ICS. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 will soon get ICS.
What again are you complaining about?

SEOUL, Korea – March 13, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the global leader in Android™ smartphones, today announced the availability of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) software upgrade for GALAXY S II. The upgrade will begin in the European countries including Poland, Hungary, and Sweden, as well as Korea today and gradually roll out to other markets. Android 4.0 ICS software upgrade for GALAXY Note, GALAXY SII LTE, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus, 7.7, 8.9 and 10.1 will follow soon.

Who is saying that you should run out and buy a new phone and pay the ETF?
That's YOUR idea(and possibly that of the US carriers as well), not that of the Android device manufacturers(except Motorola maybe since they release a device almost every month).

 

[lothar]

I don't know your post history, but it seriously seems you're trolling at this point.

Does this guy always post like this?

No, he doesn't.
He's one of the more reasonable posters here.

He has some valid points, however I feel his anger is misdirected. He's blaming Google and/or the entire "Android" ecosystem for the updates problem when he should be directing his anger at US carriers and a few Android device manufacturers that either never update their OS or take forever to update their OS(Moto, I'm looking at you).

 

[ponyo]

+1 to Samsung for updating the international Galaxy S2 to ICS. We'll see if Samsung will do the same for Jellybean...

 

[iahk]

No, he doesn't.
He's one of the more reasonable posters here.

He has some valid points, however I feel his anger is misdirected. He's blaming Google and/or the entire "Android" ecosystem for the updates problem when he should be directing his anger at US carriers and a few Android device manufacturers that either never update their OS or take forever to update their OS(Moto, I'm looking at you).

If you say so, but his first line in his reply to me and the following of his post make it seem otherwise. A very angry man.

 

[Kelvrick]

No, he doesn't.
He's one of the more reasonable posters here.

He has some valid points, however I feel his anger is misdirected. He's blaming Google and/or the entire "Android" ecosystem for the updates problem when he should be directing his anger at US carriers and a few Android device manufacturers that either never update their OS or take forever to update their OS(Moto, I'm looking at you).

IOS gets updates across all their phones, but I wouldn't say Apple is the best at it either. Especially since I was a Iphone 3g owner when ios4 came around. The latest ios4 still doesn't let the 3g perform as well as as well as 3.1.2 (or whatever your favorite flavor is) yet and was horrendously slow all the way through 4.1.

Then there is the issue of restoring your phone and a forced update (has this changed since I jumped to android?). Have a 3g on 3.1.2 and need to restore? Guess you're going to get bumped up to the latest ios that slows your phone to a crawl. On Android? Log into your gmail account and it all syncs.