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How come it's a Google's problem if the browser in question is part of AOSP, and therefore could (and should) be updated as any other open source project. Googl

by amaks 12y ago

How come it's a Google's problem if the browser in question is part of AOSP, and therefore could (and should) be updated as any other open source project. Google may be able to fix those bugs, but doesn't have to.

exDM69 12y ago
AOSP is not at all like most other open source projects. And even if the bugs would be fixed or backported to upstream AOSP, it's not going to magically be sent as an OTA update to customers. This is a real issue and it's Google's platform, they should take action to not leave customers at peril or force them to buy a new device. Google is the only one who has the power to make sure that the updates get all the way to the customers' devices. This might mean exerting pressure on the device manufacturers and operators who make downstream changes to Android. Otherwise we'll end up with millions of vulnerable devices that could be used (and are currently used) as zombies in botnets.
ufmace 12y ago
Fixing the bug is trivial, but getting the fix out to users is anything but. Google's original model for Android was to have as few restrictions on the manufacturers and carriers as possible. This arguably allowed them to gain a foothold in a market that was starting to be dominated by iPhone, but they're feeling the pain now as the try to lock Android down harder. Google is moving as much stuff out of AOSP and into closed-source Google Apps package as possible for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that it gives them increased leverage over manufacturers by increasing the amount of work they'd have to do to make a forked AOSP device competitive with official Android. This helps them prevent hostile forks as well as enforcing things like updates and not too much mucking around with the UI. This only goes so far, especially when it comes to compelling updates of devices already running obsolete versions. Both Google and the manufacturers have very little leverage in practice over the carriers, who seem to be the usual stopping block in delaying updates for various unspecified "testing" requirements.
- amaks 12y ago
  But Google doesn't control push to the end users, it's phone manufacturers/cell service providers that do that. If it was a Chrome for Android, then yet, it's part of Google Play Services that is pushed independently. So, bottom line, there is no real need to use Android browser anymore, and IIRC it's not even included to the Lollipop release.

by amaks 12y ago

exDM69 12y ago

AOSP is not at all like most other open source projects. And even if the bugs would be fixed or backported to upstream AOSP, it's not going to magically be sent as an OTA update to customers. This is a real issue and it's Google's platform, they should take action to not leave customers at peril or force them to buy a new device. Google is the only one who has the power to make sure that the updates get all the way to the customers' devices. This might mean exerting pressure on the device manufacturers and operators who make downstream changes to Android. Otherwise we'll end up with millions of vulnerable devices that could be used (and are currently used) as zombies in botnets.

ufmace 12y ago

Fixing the bug is trivial, but getting the fix out to users is anything but. Google's original model for Android was to have as few restrictions on the manufacturers and carriers as possible. This arguably allowed them to gain a foothold in a market that was starting to be dominated by iPhone, but they're feeling the pain now as the try to lock Android down harder. Google is moving as much stuff out of AOSP and into closed-source Google Apps package as possible for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that it gives them increased leverage over manufacturers by increasing the amount of work they'd have to do to make a forked AOSP device competitive with official Android. This helps them prevent hostile forks as well as enforcing things like updates and not too much mucking around with the UI. This only goes so far, especially when it comes to compelling updates of devices already running obsolete versions. Both Google and the manufacturers have very little leverage in practice over the carriers, who seem to be the usual stopping block in delaying updates for various unspecified "testing" requirements.

amaks 12y ago
But Google doesn't control push to the end users, it's phone manufacturers/cell service providers that do that. If it was a Chrome for Android, then yet, it's part of Google Play Services that is pushed independently. So, bottom line, there is no real need to use Android browser anymore, and IIRC it's not even included to the Lollipop release.