The more things change...

[Rule9]

...the more they stay the same? Call me cynical, but based on previous patterns of how OEM's and carriers make their profits, here's how I see the Android scene panning out over the next year -

"Google Edition" phones will get faster updates than the carrier branded versions by the same companies. BUT... that will only last until the next year's GE phone comes out.

Based on this article I predict Motorola will continue to limit the number of carriers their top-spec phones appear on, and launch mid-range phones as their devices on all carriers.

Google's new anti-fragmentation strategy of updating the Google apps so that older devices can have a closer Google experience will only be a play/pause stopgap measure to allow the OEM's to catch up to Jellybean and battle criticisms by Apple that Android is fragmented. They'll also stay on Jellybean and only release 4.3 with minor updates. Once Android 5.0 goes live, the OEM's and carriers will continue to be as horrendously slow to update as they always have. And best of all...

Android 5.0 will come out while people are still complaining that the 4.3 update hasn't rolled out for their phone yet. You know... kinda like how it already is now.

People will continue to forget that it's in the financial best interests of OEM's and Carriers to be slow at updating so you'll buy a new phone. People will also continue to forget that the world doesn't revolve around countries who use 2 year carrier subsidized contracts.

 

[ledfrog]

I have to say...I agree with this assessment. My HTC One GPE comes on Friday, so we'll see how updates go, but honestly I doubt I'll keep it a year seeing as how I'm already replacing the Nexus 4 I got in November.

 

[Rule9]

It looks like yearly upgrades are going to be the way I go as well. It looks like that's the only way to stay current now. Which of course is just how they want it.

 

[ledfrog]

It's kind of been like that for me for some years now. Ever since I was on the first iPhone, I would constantly upgrade (almost yearly) just so I can sell my "old" device while it was still worth some money. However, the resell market has always been much higher for iPhones due to their popularity and how well other Apple products sell. I only have limited experience selling Android devices and of the 4 Android devices I've owned, only one of them was bought brand new (Nexus 4) so it'll be interesting to see how well these will hold up on eBay a year from now.

My advantage in this case will be that these new devices are unlocked and carrier free so I have the whole world as my marketplace.

 

[garublador]

I suspect that we'll find you're more right than wrong with those guesses. However, I also believe that staying 100% up to date is getting less and less important. Froyo had some major problems that you just don't see in JB. I suspect that the need to upgrade to keep a phone that works well, even if it doesn't have the most up to date features, will diminish to the point where most users won't mind waiting a year.

 

[Rule9]

It's kind of been like that for me for some years now. Ever since I was on the first iPhone, I would constantly upgrade (almost yearly) just so I can sell my "old" device while it was still worth some money. However, the resell market has always been much higher for iPhones due to their popularity and how well other Apple products sell. I only have limited experience selling Android devices and of the 4 Android devices I've owned, only one of them was bought brand new (Nexus 4) so it'll be interesting to see how well these will hold up on eBay a year from now.

My advantage in this case will be that these new devices are unlocked and carrier free so I have the whole world as my marketplace.

I'm a little worried about this since I've discovered that a total format + factory reset still leaves your data vulnerable to data recovery technology. You may counter that point by saying the odds are low that you'll be selling to someone like that, but the number of these scams is on the rise and escalating. I do a fair amount of sensitive activities on my phones. For now I've been destroying them or giving them to my immediate family as a hand me down and then still destroying it after they're done.

I suspect that we'll find you're more right than wrong with those guesses. However, I also believe that staying 100% up to date is getting less and less important. Froyo had some major problems that you just don't see in JB. I suspect that the need to upgrade to keep a phone that works well, even if it doesn't have the most up to date features, will diminish to the point where most users won't mind waiting a year.

Unless you're a gadget junkie like me lol.

 

[ledfrog]

I'm a little worried about this since I've discovered that a total format + factory reset still leaves your data vulnerable to data recovery technology. You may counter that point by saying the odds are low that you'll be selling to someone like that, but the number of these scams is on the rise and escalating. I do a fair amount of sensitive activities on my phones. For now I've been destroying them or giving them to my immediate family as a hand me down and then still destroying it after they're done.

I can't say that I do a whole lot of sensitive data on my phones unless you're counting banking type stuff. But I never really worry about those too much anyway because the apps for my bank and credit cards don't allow you to do much. For example, if I log into my bank account on the app, I can't see account numbers, I can't transfer money out of my account (unless I setup quickpay which requires email authentication) and I can't really do anything other than check my balance, find an ATM or transfer money between savings and checking. For my credit cards...same thing...I can't see account numbers and I can't put any new charges on there. So if some criminal wants to pay my bill for me, then let them!! That's about all they can do anyway.

Anything else usually requires email authentication or a phone call to make changes, both of which a potential data cracker would not have access to. Plus, companies are starting to utilize two-step authentication these days. For example, I could give you my GoDaddy and Google account passwords and you still wouldn't be able to get into my accounts without my phone. Better yet, if someone did steal my phone, all I have to do is go into these accounts and deactivate the device and that phone will no longer be able to access my accounts without going through the whole setup process again.

So other than someone recovering my browsing history or some old photos I took, I really can't imagine what they could retrieve from my phone. Then again, maybe I never really thought about it! I know they could probably get my cell phone number, but I don't even really use that anymore now that I have Google Voice which is a cell phone number that is protected by my Google account (the most secure account I currently have). But thanks...now I'm thinking about all my old cell phones and all the countries I've sold them to!!

 

[garublador]

Unless you're a gadget junkie like me lol.

You guys are a bonus, not really their focus. Because everyone has a different date that allows them to upgrade with a carrier subsidy each manufacturer strives to have a "must have" phone all the time. They have to make new phones every time new hardware comes out or else someone else will have the "must have" phone and everyone who's signing a new contract who wants the latest and greatest will get it instead. The fact that gadget junkies are willing to spend money each time that happens is great for them, but not the only reason they make so many devices.

 

[ledfrog]

You guys are a bonus, not really their focus. Because everyone has a different date that allows them to upgrade with a carrier subsidy each manufacturer strives to have a "must have" phone all the time. They have to make new phones every time new hardware comes out or else someone else will have the "must have" phone and everyone who's signing a new contract who wants the latest and greatest will get it instead. The fact that gadget junkies are willing to spend money each time that happens is great for them, but not the only reason they make so many devices.

Completely true. I honestly wish the phone industry was more like the gaming industry! I mean how long did it take to upgrade the Xbox 360 and PS3?!! 8 years!! This hobby of wanting the latest and greatest is starting to get expensive!

 

[akbkstar]

right,My advantage in this case will be that these new devices are unlocked and carrier free so I have the whole world as my marketplace.