The problem of OEM Skins

[mikejs78]

I think a problem that is going to hamper Android's development as a viable mobile OS is the fact that every manufacturer feels the need to muck it up with some sort of skin. HTC is arguably the only one who has a skin worth anything. Motoblur was a disaster, and PhilBlur, while better, is still a pain to deal with (sorry Phil!). TouchWiz is too cartoon-y for my tastes. Even though someone can get a custom launcher and widgets, the bloatware still runs in the background unless you root, and the average user is not going to root. So if an unsuspecting user gets a Droid X, thinking its the next best thing after seeing his or her friend's Incredible, is going to be somewhat disappointed. In the end, it's going to make Android seem, dare I say it, fragmented. I am one that thinks that the fragmentation as a result of manufacturer skins is far worse than fragmentation due to different OS versions being out there (how many people are still running Windows XP?)

Now, I realize that manufacturers are insistent on adding their own tweaks/customizations to differentiate, but really, they should focus on differentiating by hardware, not by software. Most of them are not terribly good at it (again, except for maybe HTC).

In my perfect world, with Gingerbread, Google should give manufacturers a way to install their skins independently of the OS. They could then pre-load them, but provide a user a way to uninstall to stock, or install another custom skin. This way, when OS upgrades come out, the upgrade can be offered stock or with the skin. The user can then be prompted to download the skin upgrade separately.

With the end-of-life status of the Nexus One and the Droid, there will be no phones on the market that offer stock Android. To me, that is a sad state of affairs.

 

[cr3amy]

In my perfect world, with Gingerbread, Google should give manufacturers a way to install their skins independently of the OS. They could then pre-load them, but provide a user a way to uninstall to stock, or install another custom skin. This way, when OS upgrades come out, the upgrade can be offered stock or with the skin. The user can then be prompted to download the skin upgrade separately.

With the end-of-life status of the Nexus One and the Droid, there will be no phones on the market that offer stock Android. To me, that is a sad state of affairs.

I've been saying this for months. Oh God is it nice to see someone else start saying it, too. Good post, man.

 

[anon(27512)]

I've been saying this for months. Oh God is it nice to see someone else start saying it, too. Good post, man.

I love stock android OS. It's too bad that phones like the G1 and Nexus one are the only ones to get it. I'd love stock android on a evo like device. *sigh* lol.

 

[SeeK]

I'm not a fan of the stock Android UI, as I've become very accustomed to Sense, which like you say is the only custom UI worth any attention. If Gingerbread addresses the shortcomings in the stock Android UI, I'll be very happy to leave Sense, however. I think you're right, we need to see a more standardized "look" of Android. Yes, it's Linux and yes, we're encouraged to customize it, but I think lines need to be drawn. Alternatively, if Gingerbread really does render other UIs obsolete, it's a win-win.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

I love stock android OS. It's too bad that phones like the G1 and Nexus one are the only ones to get it.

*cough cough* Moto Droid *cough cough*

 

[mvpilot172]

It was also said that things like Sense UI would delay updates, but the EVO has 2.2 and other "stock" handsets still do not. I understand the point however about fragmentation, but you are assuming they have the same goal as Apple when it comes to experience. Android gets more people to use Google services which in turn gets more advertising dollars= happy Google.

 

[anon(1458)]

I love me some Sense now too

 

[YourMobileGuru]

It was also said that things like Sense UI would delay updates, but the EVO has 2.2 and other "stock" handsets still do not. I understand the point however about fragmentation, but you are assuming they have the same goal as Apple when it comes to experience. Android gets more people to use Google services which in turn gets more advertising dollars= happy Google.

Um, the Evo beat the Droid to an official Froyo update by what was it one or two days? Hardly significant given Sprint rushed it out, and VZW is notorious at over testing.

It's all a matter of priorities. If the OEM really wants to get the update to the end user in a timely manner they can, it's just that historically, both on Windows Mobile and Android, it hasn't been that high a priority because they would rather sell you a new device that comes with the new OS and in most cases runs it better than one upgraded to it.

But with the higher and higher profile that Android is getting, these priorities are starting to change. At least with the high specked/high profile devices, it's all about a race.

Droid 2 WILL come with Froyo and to the user who pays attention to such things that will automatically make it a better device than the Evo, Droid Incredible, Droid X and the Samsung Galaxy clones... We know the launch of this device is immanent.

This is creating a sense of urgency for HTC and the carriers to upgrade their handsets ASAP.

The user base of the Motorola Droid is huge, and as much as VZW would LOVE to sell the new D2 to all of them they know that the vast majority of them are not eligible for an update yet and wont be for a while, and if they decide to bite the bullet and let them upgrade early they wont have made up the subsidies they put into the original phone purchase and will loose out on data plan profits.

My personal theory is that the reason for the D2 launch delay was to give them time to get Froyo on the original Droid to cut down on people calling in asking for early updates and people who's Droid mysteriously stops working and decide that they want to argue with the carrier to upgrade them to the Droid 2 for free or by letting them upgrade early. RIM/VZW did the same thing with OS 5 by giving the original Storm the update a week before the S2 launched.

I think that while they are certainly not going to dilly daly, Moto is less worried about the X since the Droid and Droid X are two different form factors and appeal to different users.

 

[mvpilot172]

My only point was that people thought it would delay a 2.2 upgrade on HTC phones for months and that is not the case.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

My only point was that people thought it would delay a 2.2 upgrade on HTC phones for months and that is not the case.

For the high profile Sense devices I dont think it will but for the lower profile ones and the ones with most any other skin it probably will. Sense is just the most popular and they are getting pressure from the carriers to upgrade.

I will be really surprised if say the LG Ally and the Moto Devour ever get an official build for Froyo, and Samsung has pretty much said most of their line wont be getting any more significant upgrades.

From the tech point of view it most definitely does slow things down and thus will be less motivated internally do to to bother with the updates, but if the carrier motivates the OEM they will do it anyway.

 

[ceriem]

For the high profile Sense devices I dont think it will but for the lower profile ones and the ones with most any other skin it probably will. Sense is just the most popular and they are getting pressure from the carriers to upgrade.

I will be really surprised if say the LG Ally and the Moto Devour ever get an official build for Froyo, and Samsung has pretty much said most of their line wont be getting any more significant upgrades.

From the tech point of view it most definitely does slow things down and thus will be less motivated internally do to to bother with the updates, but if the carrier motivates the OEM they will do it anyway.

Yea, I agree with this. I have no fear that Verizon and Moto are working their asses off to get 2.2 out for the X, but i doubt manufacturers give half as much attention to lower end phones which flood the Android user base.

How can Android be selling 200K/day if there are shortages of most of the popular phones? It's because of low-end devices. That's how Android is catching up to the big boys so quickly. But these devices being left behind in the OS race is giving Android a bad name and an easy way for people to criticize.

A truly universal, and ideal, OS would be as the OP describes. Google could release it once, and every phone could get it almost immediately. That's not the case now. And the fact of the matter is, most people won't get Froyo until Gingerbread is announced and almost out most likely. This sucks for the vast user base using lower end phones, and it sucks for the community as a whole as well.

But as for now, I'll sit tight with my X and patiently await my Froyo update in the hopes that Android 3 will, once again, truly change the way we use phones.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Yea, I agree with this. I have no fear that Verizon and Moto are working their asses off to get 2.2 out for the X, but i doubt manufacturers give half as much attention to lower end phones which flood the Android user base.

How can Android be selling 200K/day if there are shortages of most of the popular phones? It's because of low-end devices. That's how Android is catching up to the big boys so quickly. But these devices being left behind in the OS race is giving Android a bad name and an easy way for people to criticize.

A truly universal, and ideal, OS would be as the OP describes. Google could release it once, and every phone could get it almost immediately. That's not the case now. And the fact of the matter is, most people won't get Froyo until Gingerbread is announced and almost out most likely. This sucks for the vast user base using lower end phones, and it sucks for the community as a whole as well.

But as for now, I'll sit tight with my X and patiently await my Froyo update in the hopes that Android 3 will, once again, truly change the way we use phones.

I think the whole fragmentation thing is overstaed and over worried about. The different skins help illustrate that while they all run Android each phone is different, has different options, and yes may run different versions of the Android OS itself. The vast majority of users have no idea what versio of Android they are running.

If Google really wants to motivate OEM's to upgrade in a reasonable amount of time IMHO they should institute some form of certification program. But that's gonna be another thread.