A little concerned about Google's Nexus support

[izanaki]

With Google no longer providing OS updates to the Nexus 4, 7 (2012) and Nexus 10 is it safe to assume this will be a trend for devices older than 2 years ?

I like holding onto my phones/ tablets for about 3 years and was thinking that if any brand would offer updates for that long it be the Nexus brand.

The devices listed all have 2Gb of RAM so it can't be a memory issue but a cost/ resource issue for development I would think.

Obviously if you upgrade your hardware every 2 years its a non issue. What are your thoughts ?

 

[Almeuit]

I am not sure if that is the case but even if it is -- it is still better than other Android manufacturers.

 

[zorak950]

The N4 and N7 2012 are three years old, give or take a couple months. 6.0 will be the first update they don't get. So they were updated for three years (almost).

 

[kalookakoo]

Google does 2 years of software updates, and 3 years of security updates.

 

[sean_suttles]

I think it should still be supported since it's capable of handling MM...Basically I think it's just all about the money/sales they assume they will make if stop support for N4... Which is still a high end phone IMO...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[GTvert90]

Your still going to get longer support out of a Nexus then any other oem phone.

 

[maxburn]

If you consider how Nexus phones are very well supported by third party ROMs they still have plenty of life in them.

 

[adamgalas1]

Google current policy is to upgrade the next 2 versions.

While I'm fine with that in the mid tier nexus 5x, I think the premium flagship nexus 6 and nexus 6p deserve 3 version updates since we paid more.

So nexus 5 will get all versions of marshmallow, while nexus 6 is guaranteed nougat but I think it deserves ores as well.

5x will get nougat and oreo while 6p should get nougat oreo and pumpkin pie.

Heck of Google would be willing to extend their security upgrades for the year beyond the upgrade than a nexus flagship would be good for 5 years which would mean that phones would be substantially different.

Can you imagine the difference between the Galaxy nexus and the 6p?

Night and day. Makes you glad to be alive.

 

[Shepx13]

It's definitely disappointing, and one way Apple has a huge advantage over Android. And Google has no incentive to do any different when their customers are OK with it.

 

[eosman2k1]

ROM support is awesome with Android. No doubt about that. My only gripe with ROMs is making sure you find something that is stable. There are some good ones out there though. The biggest surprise for me are the Nexus 2012 tablets. That is something most people don't upgrade that often compared to phones.

 

[Ry]

They claimed 18 months once.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[adamgalas1]

They claimed 18 months once.

Posted via the Android Central App

Great point. When nexus 4 was released they said it would only get 18 months support, meaning just one new Android generation.

Instead they supported it for 3 years.

Ideally that means 4 years of premium nexus updates plus 2 years of security updates.

And here's something to consider. IOS updates on iPhone are crippled but help it to maintain high resale value.

Android updates are not crippled for nexus phones. Lollipop ram on nexus 4 and had all the features that the nexus 6 had.

Future periodic is the biggest reason to care about specs and no custom roms agent the answer because most consumers don't want to risk brooding their devices rooting and flashing them into their phones and shouldn't have to.

4 gb of ram and a 8 core chip is pointless today because what applications use that? Only future apps will take advantage of that but it will take longer than 2 years for developers to catch up to this level of hardware.

 

[So Cold]

Google does 2 years of software updates, and 3 years of security updates.

I know this was a rumor floating around before google IO but was this ever documented? Also if I remember correctly you're leaving a key detail out, the rumor was 2 years AFTER they stop selling the phone.

Google current policy is to upgrade the next 2 versions.

While I'm fine with that in the mid tier nexus 5x, I think the premium flagship nexus 6 and nexus 6p deserve 3 version updates since we paid more.

So nexus 5 will get all versions of marshmallow, while nexus 6 is guaranteed nougat but I think it deserves ores as well.

5x will get nougat and oreo while 6p should get nougat oreo and pumpkin pie.

Heck of Google would be willing to extend their security upgrades for the year beyond the upgrade than a nexus flagship would be good for 5 years which would mean that phones would be substantially different.

Can you imagine the difference between the Galaxy nexus and the 6p?

Night and day. Makes you glad to be alive.

Same question, any documentation for that?

Either way I agree, when I buy the 6P I know I get android M out of the box, I'm also confident I'll get Android Nutter Butter and Android Oatmeal Cookie updates as well.

It's definitely disappointing, and one way Apple has a huge advantage over Android. And Google has no incentive to do any different when their customers are OK with it.

Apple can update the iPhone for years because the product is so stagnant and apple users are OK with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfkbxzilVC4

 

[zorak950]

My experience is that Google generally goes above and beyond with Nexus updates by the standards of the day in Android devices. My Nexus S got 18 months when flagship phones were barely getting a year. My Nexus 4 got close to three years when eighteen months was the gold standard for devices of the time. I fully expect the Nexus 5X and 6P to be updated at least as long as pretty much everything that comes out next year.

 

[Almeuit]

I think it should still be supported since it's capable of handling MM...Basically I think it's just all about the money/sales they assume they will make if stop support for N4... Which is still a high end phone IMO...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Yes -- at some point they have to move on from a device. I would say 3 years is pretty long for support .

 

[anon(847090)]

With Google no longer providing OS updates to the Nexus 4, 7 (2012) and Nexus 10 is it safe to assume this will be a trend for devices older than 2 years ?

I like holding onto my phones/ tablets for about 3 years and was thinking that if any brand would offer updates for that long it be the Nexus brand.

The devices listed all have 2Gb of RAM so it can't be a memory issue but a cost/ resource issue for development I would think.

Obviously if you upgrade your hardware every 2 years its a non issue. What are your thoughts ?

I got my Nexus 4 on Nov 2012 when it was released. So its been 3 years with the latest software.(its on latest OS with latest security update)
Also they provide security update for 1 more year. so nexus will fit you best.

 

[sstephen17]

The 6p will be my first Nexus phone. I've come from a GS4 and a Note 4. Good phones but the lack of timely software updates really cripples them IMO. I'm hoping that a Nexus phone with timely updates will work out better. I've never kept any phone for more than 2 years so as long as they update that long, I'm fine with it.

 

[Ry]

Great point. When nexus 4 was released they said it would only get 18 months support, meaning just one new Android generation.

Instead they supported it for 3 years.

Ideally that means 4 years of premium nexus updates plus 2 years of security updates.

And here's something to consider. IOS updates on iPhone are crippled but help it to maintain high resale value.

Android updates are not crippled for nexus phones. Lollipop ram on nexus 4 and had all the features that the nexus 6 had.

Future periodic is the biggest reason to care about specs and no custom roms agent the answer because most consumers don't want to risk brooding their devices rooting and flashing them into their phones and shouldn't have to.

4 gb of ram and a 8 core chip is pointless today because what applications use that? Only future apps will take advantage of that but it will take longer than 2 years for developers to catch up to this level of hardware.

IMO, the 18 months was because of the Galaxy Nexus using a chip from TI.