3 ms·

I'm glad you're enjoying your phone, but stuff like this sounds extremely gimmicky and just leads to phones being abandoned because there's such a great cost fo

I'm glad you're enjoying your phone, but stuff like this sounds extremely gimmicky and just leads to phones being abandoned because there's such a great cost for the OEM to provide updated ROMs, support, etc for these custom OEM-only features. Many android users get maybe one update and, in a lot of cases for lower-tier phones, none. Buying a non-flagship phone more or less guarantees a dead end pretty quickly. What android needs is an iOS-like system where everyone runs "stock" Android and these features are released as apps that are installed by default, instead of cooked into the ROM. Then OEM's should relinquish updates to Google, just like Google does with the Nexus line, its Play Store versions of certain phones, and now - all Android Wear devices. Funny how the "my god we need to differentiate our OEM devices" argument doesn't work for Android Wear devices. They all run the same software and everyone is happy. Now OEMs need to focus on looks, battery life, display, etc instead of putting in gimmicks and gaudy themes that are UI nightmares. Meanwhile, you're suffering through Touchwiz on your Samsung, your wife's phone will never get another update after x date (especially with the recent Lenovo purchase), etc while iOS and Windows Phone keeps chugging along. I switched from the Galaxy series to the Nexus series and am very happy. Its a totally different experience. Google has its "stock" Android product which reflects only a small bit of the Android market, but is vastly superior to the custom ROMs by the OEMs. Its a shame that Android has become such a fragmented mess of abandonware, especially with recent revelations about the AOSP browser's massive privacy bug which will literally never be patched. Even if google did a backport fix, no OEM or carrier is pushing it out to phones manufactured years ago or sold recently with a 3+ year old ROM. edit: -4 downvotes? Reply to my comment if you disagree instead of abusing the downvote system.

nicpottier 12y ago
Though I agree with you on principle for other manufacturers, Samsung being one of the worst, this is a funny criticism for Motorolla. They have bucked the trend in that they run a near vanilla Android and the add ons they have are largely userland apps so they rev with Android very quickly indeed, not much behind Nexus's. Certainly if you get the "pure" version of the X then you'll be good to go for a while. They have an excellent track record on unlocked Moto G's and even E's so far. Carrier 'locked' phones may have different schedules though, on this you are right.
- drzaiusapelord 12y ago
  Actually Motorola's older Android "blur" phones were known for their lack of updates. Its only now that Google owns Motorola that we're seeing this lighter OEM skin and better update policy. This is great, except Lenovo is soon going to own Motorola. So now we're going to see how that company's culture changes things and what they feel is an appropriate update schedule. As someone who buys dozens of Lenovos a year for work and immediately wipes the crapware filled factory partition for our own image, I don't really see them as forward thinking as a google-owned property is.
danieldk 12y ago
I'm glad you're enjoying your phone, but stuff like this sounds extremely gimmicky and just leads to phones being abandoned because there's such a great cost for the OEM to provide updated ROMs, support, etc FYI: nearly all of Motorola's extensions are apps that are pushed through the Play store and thus separated from Android OTA updates. Besides that, they seem to have a good reputation for updates. The X is a year old now and will get Android L, which gives at least another year of mileage. That's at least two years. Isn't Google's guaranteed update window 18 months? (Although Nexus 4 seems to get Android L.)
- tcoppi 12y ago
  There is no guaranteed upgrade window for Nexus phones/tablets.
  - danieldk 12y ago
    Devices may not receive the latest version of Android if they fall outside of the update window, traditionally around 18 months after a device release. https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en
- drzaiusapelord 12y ago
  Actually Motorola had a terrible reputation for updates until it was bought by Google. Having a Moto "Blur" OEM ROM meant rare updates. Google ownership obviously helped out here, but soon they'll be transferred to Lenovo. Will the same commitment to updates and "light" modifications continue? Who knows. Lenovo's company culture is all about heavy modifications (boot a Lenovo Windows machine to see all the crapware if you dont believe me). Moto's future is an unknown due to this sale.
legohead 12y ago
I agree with the Android update issue, and made a post about it yesterday. I got the Galaxy "Nexus" with the hopes it would be kept up to date since it was using the Google brand name, but nope, I'm still on 4.3. And, while a lot of those "gimmicky features" I mentioned could just be duplicated with apps, I was just commenting on the phone itself, and Moto really. They have obviously made the effort to put out a phone that people will enjoy using, and they are trying new ideas, and taking risks, that will ultimately improve the experience for everyone as people come to expect those "gimmicks". So I'm impressed at Moto for going there, and respect them for that. The whole Android version update issue is another thing entirely to discuss. Personally, I'm glad it's a problem. I'm glad there is the iOS closed-world and the Android open-world, so we can see how people react and use both, and hopefully come up with something even better in the future. The Android update issue, while annoying, isn't really that bad, except in the case of vulnerabilities like the AOSP thing. Vulnerabilities like that have to be addressed somehow.
- drzaiusapelord 12y ago
  If it helps I installed CM on my old Galaxy Nexus and it has 4.4.4 now. >Vulnerabilities like that have to be addressed somehow. I think these two issues go hand-in-hand. How can we send security updates out when the OEM and carriers have told us to get lost? It hurts google, its hurts android's reputation, etc. Passing off updates, especially critical ones, to the OEM/Carrier infrastructure is just irresponsible in this day and age of endless security threats. Imagine if my Lenovo PC had to get Windows updates not directly from MS but from Lenovo and Comcast and only after they've agreed to give them to me? That's the situation on Android right now and things like the AOSP browser bug prove its a broken model.

nicpottier 12y ago

Though I agree with you on principle for other manufacturers, Samsung being one of the worst, this is a funny criticism for Motorolla. They have bucked the trend in that they run a near vanilla Android and the add ons they have are largely userland apps so they rev with Android very quickly indeed, not much behind Nexus's. Certainly if you get the "pure" version of the X then you'll be good to go for a while. They have an excellent track record on unlocked Moto G's and even E's so far. Carrier 'locked' phones may have different schedules though, on this you are right.

drzaiusapelord 12y ago
Actually Motorola's older Android "blur" phones were known for their lack of updates. Its only now that Google owns Motorola that we're seeing this lighter OEM skin and better update policy. This is great, except Lenovo is soon going to own Motorola. So now we're going to see how that company's culture changes things and what they feel is an appropriate update schedule. As someone who buys dozens of Lenovos a year for work and immediately wipes the crapware filled factory partition for our own image, I don't really see them as forward thinking as a google-owned property is.

danieldk 12y ago

I'm glad you're enjoying your phone, but stuff like this sounds extremely gimmicky and just leads to phones being abandoned because there's such a great cost for the OEM to provide updated ROMs, support, etc FYI: nearly all of Motorola's extensions are apps that are pushed through the Play store and thus separated from Android OTA updates. Besides that, they seem to have a good reputation for updates. The X is a year old now and will get Android L, which gives at least another year of mileage. That's at least two years. Isn't Google's guaranteed update window 18 months? (Although Nexus 4 seems to get Android L.)

tcoppi 12y ago
There is no guaranteed upgrade window for Nexus phones/tablets.
- danieldk 12y ago
  Devices may not receive the latest version of Android if they fall outside of the update window, traditionally around 18 months after a device release. https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en
drzaiusapelord 12y ago
Actually Motorola had a terrible reputation for updates until it was bought by Google. Having a Moto "Blur" OEM ROM meant rare updates. Google ownership obviously helped out here, but soon they'll be transferred to Lenovo. Will the same commitment to updates and "light" modifications continue? Who knows. Lenovo's company culture is all about heavy modifications (boot a Lenovo Windows machine to see all the crapware if you dont believe me). Moto's future is an unknown due to this sale.

legohead 12y ago

I agree with the Android update issue, and made a post about it yesterday. I got the Galaxy "Nexus" with the hopes it would be kept up to date since it was using the Google brand name, but nope, I'm still on 4.3. And, while a lot of those "gimmicky features" I mentioned could just be duplicated with apps, I was just commenting on the phone itself, and Moto really. They have obviously made the effort to put out a phone that people will enjoy using, and they are trying new ideas, and taking risks, that will ultimately improve the experience for everyone as people come to expect those "gimmicks". So I'm impressed at Moto for going there, and respect them for that. The whole Android version update issue is another thing entirely to discuss. Personally, I'm glad it's a problem. I'm glad there is the iOS closed-world and the Android open-world, so we can see how people react and use both, and hopefully come up with something even better in the future. The Android update issue, while annoying, isn't really that bad, except in the case of vulnerabilities like the AOSP thing. Vulnerabilities like that have to be addressed somehow.

drzaiusapelord 12y ago
If it helps I installed CM on my old Galaxy Nexus and it has 4.4.4 now. >Vulnerabilities like that have to be addressed somehow. I think these two issues go hand-in-hand. How can we send security updates out when the OEM and carriers have told us to get lost? It hurts google, its hurts android's reputation, etc. Passing off updates, especially critical ones, to the OEM/Carrier infrastructure is just irresponsible in this day and age of endless security threats. Imagine if my Lenovo PC had to get Windows updates not directly from MS but from Lenovo and Comcast and only after they've agreed to give them to me? That's the situation on Android right now and things like the AOSP browser bug prove its a broken model.