One of Android’s biggest downsides is the speed at which you receive updates: some phones will take months to get the latest version of Android. Ars Technica runs down the best (and worst) manufacturers for quick updates.
This isn’t the first time someone’s rated manufacturers, but things do change over time, so it’s nice to have an up-to-date look. As you’d expect, the Nexus 4 and Moto X were quickest to get the update, while Samsung Devices tended to be slower, likely due to the heavily customised UI.
Of course, some would argue these updates don’t matter as much as they once did — and you’re also the mercy of carrier update processes as well. Still, it’s a small factor to consider when buying your next phone.
The State of Android Updates: Who’s Fast, Who’s Slow, and Why [Ars Technica]
Comments
3 responses to “The Best And Worst Android Manufacturers For Quick Updates, KitKat Edition”
I’ve recently discovered that there are other advantages to having a Nexus apart from rapid upgrades; they are where the cool dev happens.
My specific example is MultiROM, which allows you to boot between multiple OS versions on the Nexus 5. You can, for example, have Android L Dev Preview, CyanogenMod 11, Firefox OS, Sailfish OS, and Ubuntu Touch all bootable on the one device (including from a USB-OTG drive).
But fast upgrading is good too.
Kitkat for Galaxy Note 8 is taking a long time to reach Australia. It started being rolled out in May.
so if there is a critical or serious bug, patched in an upgrade that is not available because of the carrier delay, can I make them responsible because of my increased risk? If there is a known flaw and they cannot fix it, then isn’t that coming under the ‘fit for purpose’ rule?