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That depends on whether you see Google's role in the Android ecosystem as primarily an OS vendor or as a hardware vendor. In the latter view, your position cert
by microtherion 12y ago
That depends on whether you see Google's role in the Android ecosystem as primarily an OS vendor or as a hardware vendor. In the latter view, your position certainly seems plausible.
However, if one sees Google as an OS vendor, then, considering that 60% of Android phones are running 4.2 or older (according to https://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html https://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html), supporting somewhat older phones would seem to be desirable.
- bestnameever 12y agoThey do support them as much as they are able to through play services. The fact remains is that many of those phones are unlikely to receive updates through 5.0.. How are you supposed to support them if the hardware vendors are unwilling to update them?
- sliverstorm 12y agoAs an OS vendor, it is still in their interests to drive android forward and minimize effort wasted on antique versions. They have Windows XP as an instructive example of the risks of allowing themselves to continue supporting an OS too long