Google is Considering a 'Name and Shame' for Slow-to-update Android Vendors

[dgstorm]

We aren't sure if this strategy would work, but we are all for Google trying just about anything to get Android device vendors to release Android updates in a more timely fashion. The latest rumors suggests Google is considering a "name and shame" to light a fire under the proverbial butts of any lagging vendors *cough*rhymes with horizon*cough*.

Apparently, Google actually keeps a detailed database on the Android releases from the various Android vendors and OEMs, but they have always kept it to themselves. Google execs are considering making that list public to see if PR shaming will spur faster work. Google has supposedly also been pushing vendors to automatically release any security updates and skip tests entirely.

Of course, all of this is just rumor at this point, so who knows if it will actually happen. What do you folks think? Is this something Google should do, or would it be bad etiquette?

Source: Engadget

 

[mountainbikermark]

Also one that rhymes with k c and c comes to mind as the one that makes horizon look timely.

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[New2u]

But they aren't so much even talking about the major phone networks, they are talking about people like Samsung and HTC, but the secondary part of this equation is that the service providers will sit on an update for like 5 months before they push it all because they have to add their bloatware to it. If Google required that service providers couldn't put their junk on the phones the updates could be pushed out almost instantly after the hardware manufacturers were done.

This is literally one of my biggest gripes with Android in general is that the oversight of service providers is none. Manufacturers should release 2 versions of the phones, one for CDMA, and one for GSM, and not cater to the service providers. We should just be buying them directly via the manufacturers and cutting out the providers in general as they are always the hold up with everything. I should not see the news that Samsung sent the updates to Verizon and Verizon holds on to it for 3-5 months for testing to make sure everything works with the junk that Verizon adds to it. It makes me mad, Google should lay down the law with this nonsense.

 

[silverfang77]

Verizon Wireless should be at the top of the list. My Note Edge is still awaiting 5.1.

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[pc747]

Nice idea but one Google don't have the stones. The other is that manufacturers are just going to release the update to international phones and point to the carriers being the hold up (which they are). I don't see the manufacturers wanting to upset the carriers. The carriers like being able to lock a phone to their network, especially the popular devices. Though it truly is getting time to evolve this game a bit more. Buy one phone that works on all carriers. The carriers can be just another place to buy. If you buy on contract/plan for a discount then you are stuck until you pay it. If I want to buy my phone at Verizon and use it on Sprint, why should Verizon care as long as you paying the bill.
Wait... So people can't just walk across the street like T-Mobile was able to get att customer to do a few years ago. If the person have to buy a new phone it will be more of a deterrent to keep them from leaving and subscribing to another carrier since their money comes from the monthly subscription fees and not the phone.
Verizon phones being locked to a different band helped them survive the attrition att felt.

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[Sajo]

I honestly don't see this doing any good or making any changes to the process. Just like one article stated, the manufacturers care about selling us new phones, not supporting older models, and the carrier's care about selling us new phones a d keeping us locked into their network. That's not going to change. And, also as one article said, most consumers don't know about updates and don't care. The ones that do, probably buy a Nexus or hang out on forums like this and vent their frustration here.

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[Mustang02]

I honestly don't see this doing any good or making any changes to the process. Just like one article stated, the manufacturers care about selling us new phones, not supporting older models, and the carrier's care about selling us new phones a d keeping us locked into their network. That's not going to change. And, also as one article said, most consumers don't know about updates and don't care. The ones that do, probably buy a Nexus or hang out on forums like this and vent their frustration here.

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100% agree won't do a thing ! And what's wrong with buying a Nexus?

 

[Sajo]

100% agree won't do a thing ! And what's wrong with buying a Nexus?

Absolutely nothing wrong!

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[New2u]

Nice idea but one Google don't have the stones. The other is that manufacturers are just going to release the update to international phones and point to the carriers being the hold up (which they are). I don't see the manufacturers wanting to upset the carriers. The carriers like being able to lock a phone to their network, especially the popular devices. Though it truly is getting time to evolve this game a bit more. Buy one phone that works on all carriers.

I completely agree that Google doesn't have the stones to do this, but it would truly change the game if they did. In reality, i think this is more about the smaller manufacturers then the larger ones that Google is talking about, the ones that make a device and then it never gets an update ever again. These are more of the budget phones, which is a good % of people out there. The more well known manufacturers are definitely passing the buck to the carriers for blame, which is very true much of the time. But even Samsung takes quite a while to get the updates vetted for their skin and programs that they use. As stated, I would love to see one phone that works on all networks, this would make it 100 times easier to update and put our security updates much faster.

But i also agree that many people don't have a clue about android updates, if your not following tech blogs the likelihood of you knowing what the new features are coming up is small until it gets pushed to your phone. I think the phone market in the US is terrible when it comes to how screwed people are with what they choose, much like how the cable companies have a monopoly on regions.

Nexus is a decent phone, but that should not be the only option to get timely updates and security patches installed on your phone. At most manufacturers and carriers should have 3 months from the time Google releases it to their nexus line to get it out to their phone lineups. Carriers shouldn't need to test it much at all, other then to make sure that after the update, the phones can still access their networks.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I'm in the camp that doesn't think it would make much, if any, difference if they released their rankings. I'm sure OEMs will still place a lot of the blame on the carriers, which is fair, but I bet they find a way to make Google the bad guy as well.

Though I currently have a Nexus, I'm more worried about security patches than actual OS upgrades, especially since Samsung and VZW and others have come out and said that they would commit to getting those out to users. While I love new features and etc., security updates are much more important.

 

[mountainbikermark]

This all could have been prevented years ago if Google hadn't just handed the keys over with no strings attached. I usually use that logic when speaking of fragmentation but untimely updates is part of the huge elephant in the room called fragmentation. Google is considering this only because the federal government starred asking questions during this election year. Nothing will happen beyond rumour and speculation.

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[Jonny Kansas]

I doubt that Android would've seen such a growth in number of devices if Google had charged for it and/or strapped it with a bunch of stipulations.

I think they were smart to get the fish on the line before setting the hook and trying to reel them in, so to speak. Look at Samsung and Tizen. Other than their watches, it doesn't seem like they've had much luck with their own operating system. Get a manufacturer whose name has become synonymous with android that can't really jump ship at this point and you've got yourself a manufacturer who you should be able to corral a bit.

 

[mountainbikermark]

I doubt that Android would've seen such a growth in number of devices if Google had charged for it and/or strapped it with a bunch of stipulations.

I think they were smart to get the fish on the line before setting the hook and trying to reel them in, so to speak. Look at Samsung and Tizen. Other than their watches, it doesn't seem like they've had much luck with their own operating system. Get a manufacturer whose name has become synonymous with android that can't really jump ship at this point and you've got yourself a manufacturer who you should be able to corral a bit.

Samsung thinks just weird. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they dumped Android and went total Tizen if they were suddenly being forced to meet a standard they didn't set for themselves, in spite of the large financial hit.

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[Jonny Kansas]

Samsung thinks just weird. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they dumped Android and went total Tizen if they were suddenly being forced to meet a standard they didn't set for themselves, in spite of the large financial hit.

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We'll be talking about them the way we talk about htc right now, only worse if they decide to jump ship from android. They can't. At this point, they're where they are in the market BECAUSE of android. How long ago did they release their last Tizen phones? They didn't get very good reviews and we never heard of them again. The only way they can make Tizen work is to make it a practically complete ripoff of android imo.

I just don't see them being able to move handsets when word gets out the the software is that much different from what their current users are used to. That's part of the reason why I suggested my wife get the S7. She wanted something smaller and we checked out some other devices, but ultimately, I figured she was already very used to TouchWiz on top of android, so why make her have to learn how things are different? If they abandoned Android, they wouldn't even make my list of suggested devices to anyone.

 

[mountainbikermark]

We'll be talking about them the way we talk about htc right now, only worse if they decide to jump ship from android. They can't. At this point, they're where they are in the market BECAUSE of android. How long ago did they release their last Tizen phones? They didn't get very good reviews and we never heard of them again. The only way they can make Tizen work is to make it a practically complete ripoff of android imo.

I just don't see them being able to move handsets when word gets out the the software is that much different from what their current users are used to. That's part of the reason why I suggested my wife get the S7. She wanted something smaller and we checked out some other devices, but ultimately, I figured she was already very used to TouchWiz on top of android, so why make her have to learn how things are different? If they abandoned Android, they wouldn't even make my list of suggested devices to anyone.

With Tizen it's not the OS itself but, just like Windows whatever it's called now, lack of developer support. Even though this fact is squarely in their faces they've abandoned AW in favor of a doa system on their smartwatch lineup. They didn't learn when their first delve into their own system for a smartphone failed miserably but stuck to their guns, just like they got their butts handed to them in court but continue to skirt the cloning of a certain competitive smartphone. Those icons that started the whole lawsuit war were in fact rip offs of the icons from Apple. They innovate great things such as an electronic stylus pen and bendable glass but everything on the inside I just don't understand their thinking. Perhaps if they dump Android they'll start making more parts for Android manufacturers at a deeply discounted rate like they did with Apple.

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