How long do you think this phone will be up to date?

[RavenSword]

Let me explain a bit: I'm using a nexus 4 right now and while I love it, I'm pretty jealous of the sleekness of the one.

However, I can even get out of my att contract until like next year, so I can't even get the one on upgrade, and I'm going to tmobile as soon as I can anyway.

Anyway, I guess my question is do you think this phone will still be able to hold its own a year from now? Or am I simply thinking way to far ahead? I know tech moves at blistering speed, so I don't think it'll be the best Android phone a year from now, but I'm curious what you guys think. Right now I'm pretty jealous for you HTC one owners

 

[DanX47]

I love my One and I really hope HTC keeps it up to date as much as they can, it's the One that will put them back on the map so they owe it to us.
I don't see devices in the next year being all that more powerful, I don't see the reason for more and more power when phones this year have enough power as it is.

I think durability and battery life will be next focus for years to come.

 

[Aquila]

Let me explain a bit: I'm using a nexus 4 right now and while I love it, I'm pretty jealous of the sleekness of the one.

However, I can even get out of my att contract until like next year, so I can't even get the one on upgrade, and I'm going to tmobile as soon as I can anyway.

Anyway, I guess my question is do you think this phone will still be able to hold its own a year from now? Or am I simply thinking way to far ahead? I know tech moves at blistering speed, so I don't think it'll be the best Android phone a year from now, but I'm curious what you guys think. Right now I'm pretty jealous for you HTC one owners

Today it is 2.5 months behind on software and we're approximately 2.57 weeks away from the next announcement of Android, presumably 4.3, at which point it will be two full versions behind. I imagine it will be updated to 4.3 at some point in the future. For software, it is likely it'll never catch up.

For total package it'll still be able to handle 95% of new usage concepts that are actualized in the next 12 months, assuming it receives the software to support those features. The only difference is that the Nexus 4 will be able to handle 99.9% of those same features during the same time period and it absolutely will have the software to support it, being the device that will receive them first.

 

[LindtChocolate]

In a year with an upgrade it is probably worth getting the next high end phone.

 

[JHBThree]

Today it is 2.5 months behind on software and we're approximately 2.57 weeks away from the next announcement of Android, presumably 4.3, at which point it will be two full versions behind. I imagine it will be updated to 4.3 at some point in the future. For software, it is likely it'll never catch up.

For total package it'll still be able to handle 95% of new usage concepts that are actualized in the next 12 months, assuming it receives the software to support those features. The only difference is that the Nexus 4 will be able to handle 99.9% of those same features during the same time period and it absolutely will have the software to support it, being the device that will receive them first.

I'm not sure we'll see the next version of android at I/O. I would imagine they will wait until October/November and the next Nexus phone.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Aquila]

I'm not sure we'll see the next version of android at I/O. I would imagine they will wait until October/November and the next Nexus phone.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

You might be right about I/O, but it looks like 4.3 is in testing, at least according to this article:

Google Is Working On And Testing Android 4.3 - It's Still Jelly Bean

My guess is we see 4.3 on the Nexus 7 refresh if that's real and possibly on the CDMA Nexus 4 if that's real, but no actual new devices until Q4 as you stated.

 

[omniusovermind]

You may as well accept the fact that if you're buying an OEM android phone you're not going to be updated to android version releases in a timely manner. If you're OEM android is also a carrier phone you're going to be 6 months or more behind.

The HTC one x is rumored to be getting just to 4.2.2 in JUNE. That version will be 8 months old by then. Same for the S3.

Those are ridiculous wait times. If you do decide to buy the One, just make sure you don't sell your n4. But bear in mind there will very likely be a fully new nexus dropping in Q4 regardless of the LTE Nexus 4 rumor

 

[SCjRqrQCnBQ19QoYCtdl]

Today it is 2.5 months behind on software and we're approximately 2.57 weeks away from the next announcement of Android, presumably 4.3, at which point it will be two full versions behind. I imagine it will be updated to 4.3 at some point in the future. For software, it is likely it'll never catch up.

For total package it'll still be able to handle 95% of new usage concepts that are actualized in the next 12 months, assuming it receives the software to support those features. The only difference is that the Nexus 4 will be able to handle 99.9% of those same features during the same time period and it absolutely will have the software to support it, being the device that will receive them first.

You are calling 4.2.2 a full version? and speculating that 4.3 will be as well? I thought full versions had naming differences hence ISC/JB/KLP? I have 4.2.2 on my tablet and the changes over 4.1.2 are inconsequential.

I suspect that the One will get KLP at some point, but it may be a wait. If that is important to you, I am sure it will be available much quicker on a custom rom. I note that CyanagenMod already has an early alpha build of 4.2.2 on the One.

 

[thebizz]

If you want to remain on the latest software version stick with the nexus. 4.2.2 offers only lock screen widgets and the notification toggles both of which do nothing for me.

 

[omniusovermind]

You are calling 4.2.2 a full version? and speculating that 4.3 will be as well? I thought full versions had naming differences hence ISC/JB/KLP? I have 4.2.2 on my tablet and the changes over 4.1.2 are inconsequential.

I suspect that the One will get KLP at some point, but it may be a wait. If that is important to you, I am sure it will be available much quicker on a custom rom. I note that CyanagenMod already has an early alpha build of 4.2.2 on the One.

Custom ROMs are never as stable as official, that includes CM

 

[RavenSword]

I was also talking hardware wise as well. I just wasn't sure how much better tech wise phones can even get a this point.

 

[KineticMD]

I was also talking hardware wise as well. I just wasn't sure how much better tech wise phones can even get a this point.

Hardware wise the One will be perfectly serviceable in a year since it's up there with the best specs of any other phone available right now, but if you're going to stay on a 2 year contract plan and want hardware that won't get left in the dust 2 years from then you might as well look into buying whatever next year's high-end phones are. Smartphone hardware evolves quickly, and it WILL get better.

Software wise the One will definitely be slower than a Nexus phone in getting updates. When Jelly Bean first pushed to Nexus devices last July, you didn't see OEM phones consistently launch with it until October/November, and updating an existing phone can take even longer. HTC and Samsung are generally the fastest at making their updates, but if you're locked into a carrier you'll be in for a LONG wait, I'm talking months here. The OEM has to skin the update and make sure it works with the phone's existing software, then the carrier tests it to make sure it doesn't mess with their network. The latter also applies to Nexus devices that aren't purchased directly from Google (see the Verizon Galaxy Nexus). In many cases the carrier will sit on updates for absurdly long periods of time to push customers to buy newer phones so they can advertise them as having the latest and greatest software.

Bottom line: if you want to always have the bleeding edge Android software, stick with the Nexus line. If you want to stay relatively current and want an OEM phone like the One, don't buy your phone from your carrier.

 

[gollum18]

Custom ROMs are never as stable as official, that includes CM

Actually with every release of touchwiz on the sprint s3, there has been some pretty substantial bugs. Nothing phone breaking but they have been there and definitely impaired use.

As for custom roms it all depends on who builds them. Yeah if you have a 16yr old kid building and developing it that just started learning android then yeah there's bound to be bugs. I would say the guys that work on cm/aokp/pa are all outstanding devs who are up to par if not better than oem devs (who let's face it, build some pretty ugly skins, they don't even give you the option to change them). Its just hard to support all of these devices when they cost 500$ and up to buy.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RavenSword]

Hardware wise the One will be perfectly serviceable in a year since it's up there with the best specs of any other phone available right now, but if you're going to stay on a 2 year contract plan and want hardware that won't get left in the dust 2 years from then you might as well look into buying whatever next year's high-end phones are. Smartphone hardware evolves quickly, and it WILL get better.

Software wise the One will definitely be slower than a Nexus phone in getting updates. When Jelly Bean first pushed to Nexus devices last July, you didn't see OEM phones consistently launch with it until October/November, and updating an existing phone can take even longer. HTC and Samsung are generally the fastest at making their updates, but if you're locked into a carrier you'll be in for a LONG wait, I'm talking months here. The OEM has to skin the update and make sure it works with the phone's existing software, then the carrier tests it to make sure it doesn't mess with their network. The latter also applies to Nexus devices that aren't purchased directly from Google (see the Verizon Galaxy Nexus). In many cases the carrier will sit on updates for absurdly long periods of time to push customers to buy newer phones so they can advertise them as having the latest and greatest software.

Bottom line: if you want to always have the bleeding edge Android software, stick with the Nexus line. If you want to stay relatively current and want an OEM phone like the One, don't buy your phone from your carrier.

I'm going to switch to tmobile no contract at the end of this year, so i don't need to worry about 2 year contract unless I finance the phone, in which case I'm kinda in a contract then I guess.

I hope e next nexus isn't just a LTE upgrade. My only gripe with my nexus 4 is its kinda smallish battery and I think the build quality isn't up there with something like these OEM phones like the one. My power button in particular is getting kinda mushy or flush. Although the flush ness isn't a big deal because I have the bumper case on my nexus 4. But if I take the bumper case off, I've noticed my nexus 4 button has recessed a bit. Maybe due to the bumper being on their?

 

[npunk42]

Anyway, I guess my question is do you think this phone will still be able to hold its own a year from now? Or am I simply thinking way to far ahead?

You're thinking too far ahead. If the phone you have lasts another year, its worth keeping at least that long. In a year you may develop new priorities in addition to 'sleekness'. Your needs may be different too. At the pace Android devices are released anymore in a year you will have skipped the incremental steps of the OneS, the One2, the One+, the One+1.2, and shoot straight to the OneInfrared.

 

[omniusovermind]

Actually with every release of touchwiz on the sprint s3, there has been some pretty substantial bugs. Nothing phone breaking but they have been there and definitely impaired use.

As for custom roms it all depends on who builds them. Yeah if you have a 16yr old kid building and developing it that just started learning android then yeah there's bound to be bugs. I would say the guys that work on cm/aokp/pa are all outstanding devs who are up to par if not better than oem devs (who let's face it, build some pretty ugly skins, they don't even give you the option to change them). Its just hard to support all of these devices when they cost 500$ and up to buy.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

My beef with ROMs isn't with the skins, it's that many OEMs don't give the developers full access to the device drivers until the phone is already outdated so certain hardware features like fingerprint scanners, camera features etc end up not fully baked.

 

[thebizz]

I'm with you on that. Thsts the reason my evo lte and s3 never really ran aosp because source was either incomplete or hacked together just to work so camera quality took a hit amonhs other things.

 

[mysterygirl]

I love updates! But, if you like your phone now, updates or no updates shouldn't change that. Whether or not it receives a ton or a few updates won't take away from the experience that you originally purchased.

I only worry about this where significant improvements (Google Now, for example) or security enhancements are made. For example, IMO, 4.2 adds very little that 4.1 doesn't already have. And many of the features it did add can easily be replicated by other apps. In fact, manufacturer skins and developer innovation are often one step ahead of Google anyway.

I wouldn't loose too much sleep about it. BTW, I own/have owned several Nexus devices as well (Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10). I generally have a device on hand to play with the latest from Android, but it's not a requirement for all my devices.

 

[omniusovermind]

If you want to use past practices to determine the updates, then both the s3 and one X are scheduled to get 4.2 this summer. Since 4.2 arrived last November it appears you'll be looking at being about 8 months after the latest versions

 

[lou61166]

Custom ROMs are never as stable as official, that includes CM

I agree not since my early Android days using the LG optimus v have I had to root and use a custom ROM and where it made the phone speedier it came with bugs that made me ditch the phone my last 2 phones both HTC I have not had to root.


Sent From My HTC Droid DNA Using Taptalk