Are the people who work for HTC USA brain dead?

[Almeuit]

To be fair when you bought a mobile generally your not promised straight away updates so calm down. Carriers do control updates, so their hands are tried.

Posted via Android Central App

Not if HTC doesn't give the update to the carrier in the first place. HTC has to give them the update... Then you can blame the carrier.... But if the carrier didn't get it..

Sent from my T-Mobile HTC One using AC Forums.

 

[adriandb]

To be fair when you bought a mobile generally your not promised straight away updates so calm down. Carriers do control updates, so their hands are tried.

Others have stated that HTC said there would be a quick update to 4.2.2. I can't verify that, but if it's true then it is a clear lie. And as EverNap pointed out, the carriers aren't involved in updates for those of us with unlocked or DEs.

 

[Gator352]

Others have stated that HTC said there would be a quick update to 4.2.2. I can't verify that, but if it's true then it is a clear lie. And as EverNap pointed out, the carriers aren't involved in updates for those of us with unlocked or DEs.

Yes. hTc did promise a fasttrack update to 4.2.2 before it was released, but my take is that 4.3 adds a few core updates such as "trim" and decided to wait and give us that instead. If that is the case, hTc should have said something and I agree with most that that is pathetic. But, my phone works and it works good so I'm not complaining.

Now, carriers DO control the updates to GPE's, and unlocked models as the internals are still designed to work on specific carriers such as CDMA or GSM. All the carriers work on different 4G/LTE bands that work for their specific phones on their specific network. This includes the Asian market as well. They have to have hardware built for all the different bands and the OS has to be tweaked to work with that hardware. And you can bet your buttocks that the carriers have their say when and how this gets done.

The only phone that gets updates at will is the NEXUS. The NEXUS is on one carrier which is AT&T (maybe t-mobile also as they are GSM). Google updates the NEXUS but the software is tweaked (by AT&T & Google) to work on that phone and on that carrier only so it's easy to update whenever they please! Just so happens GSM works globally using most of the same spectrum for LTE so that's a no-brainer as well. CDMA models are left in the dark soley for that purpose....easier to update without carrier interruption.

 

[adriandb]

Now, carriers DO control the updates to GPE's, DE's, and unlocked models

So you're saying that att has control over when my DE One will get 4.2.2?

 

[EverNap]

So you're saying that att has control over when my DE One will get 4.2.2?

If that's true, I guess we can expect the 4.2.2 update around next Christmas

They have to have hardware built for all the different bands and the OS has to be tweaked to work with that hardware. And you can bet your buttocks that the carriers have their say when and how this gets done.

Although the OS might have to be optimized to work with certain bands/hardware, why won't HTC be able to push updates out at its own schedule? Apple does it with their flagship phones (which is their only phone), so why can't HTC do the same? Also, the carriers might want to optimize the phones for whatever reason they have, but I don't think that HTC can't just push the updates to unlocked phones themselves.

I have little to no knowledge about the exact technicalities, so I can't beat them up about it. I can be upset about it though.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Not if HTC doesn't give the update to the carrier in the first place. HTC has to give them the update... Then you can blame the carrier.... But if the carrier didn't get it..

Sent from my T-Mobile HTC One using AC Forums.

Maybe htc has to pay for it to be certified. If that's the case then why waste the money?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

So you're saying that att has control over when my DE One will get 4.2.2?

Do we know they don't? I know they shouldn't, but that doesn't mean they don't.

We'll never know for sure. Want updates? Get a Nexus. How long 4.2.2 has been available is irrelevant. You buy Nexus for software, everything else for hardware (except GPe).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[EverNap]

You buy Nexus for software, everything else for hardware (except GPe).

Do the GPe phones get updates on the same schedule as the Nexus phones? Did the GPe One get the 4.2.2/4.3 update? Thanks.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Do the GPe phones get updates on the same schedule as the Nexus phones? Did the GPe One get the 4.2.2/4.3 update? Thanks.

No, they don't.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Gator352]

So you're saying that att has control over when my DE One will get 4.2.2?

I digress and updated my last post. DE's are GSM only at the moment (like the NEXUS) Google has whatever it needs from AT&T to push out updates at will. Maybe Google is waiting to push 4.3 instead?

But like Kevin said....They shouldn't but we really don't know for sure but my guess is that in some sort of fashion....they do.

 

[Gator352]

If that's true, I guess we can expect the 4.2.2 update around next Christmas

Although the OS might have to be optimized to work with certain bands/hardware, why won't HTC be able to push updates out at its own schedule? Apple does it with their flagship phones (which is their only phone), so why can't HTC do the same? Also, the carriers might want to optimize the phones for whatever reason they have, but I don't think that HTC can't just push the updates to unlocked phones themselves.

I have little to no knowledge about the exact technicalities, so I can't beat them up about it. I can be upset about it though.

Apple makes 2 types of phones, CDMA and GSM. They still have to make the hardware for all the carriers national and international for their phones to work respectively on their network. Apple controls ALL it's software, probably in the contract...besides, Apple tells the carriers what to do because, well, it's the iphone.....

hTc can push updates out till it's blue in the face, but it's up to the carriers when and if we get them. hTc cannot push out updates at will because of contracts it has to make with the carriers.

 

[Gator352]

Maybe htc has to pay for it to be certified. If that's the case then why waste the money?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

I'm sure the carriers want their phones to be updated to keep users happy but it's probably more due to contracts. hTc sends updates to carriers as per contract but it's ultimately up to the carrier as to when it gets pushed.

Lets take Sprint. Sprint sells more S4's than it sells the one. They both send 4.3 to Sprint for certification, testing, and implementation as per contract. But Sprint is going to put its resources into the S4 because it sells more, putting the One on the back burner. I'm sure in the contract that Sprint HAS to implement the update by a certain date but when is that??

So basically like you said....we will never know how it works. All we can do is take a best guess.

 

[benhmadison]

95 percent of smartphone users couldn't even tell you their software version is Jellybean let alone if it's 4.1 or 4.2. Members of this site seem to forget that we are the super minority of smartphone consumers. They are in business to make money and they are not interested in software updates especially for people on contract. As previously stated if you have to have the latest software then get a Nexus and be done with it. The fact that the ONE released with 4.1 let you know that it will probably remain behind the S4 as far as updates go but since it's a great device that's fine. Software updates will have zero impact on whether or not HTC succeeds from here on out because most people that buy their devices don't know the difference.

 

[JHBThree]

Whether the update is a big deal or not is not really the point. It's the principle.



4.2 was released by Google in November of last year. It's no longer an issue of TIMELY updates. We're talking about complete lack of respect for the consumer at this point.

Sorry to be rude, but: CARRIERS. CARRIERS. CARRIERS. CARRIERS.

The carriers have the updates, so its out of HTCs hands. With all of the discussion of the role carriers play in updates, there's no reason this thread should even exist.

 

[21stNow]

The only phone that gets updates at will is the NEXUS. The NEXUS is on one carrier which is AT&T (maybe t-mobile also as they are GSM). Google updates the NEXUS but the software is tweaked (by AT&T & Google) to work on that phone and on that carrier only so it's easy to update whenever they please! Just so happens GSM works globally using most of the same spectrum for LTE so that's a no-brainer as well. CDMA models are left in the dark soley for that purpose....easier to update without carrier interruption.

This is off. The Nexus 4 is a carrier independent phone. If anything, it would be considered a T-Mobile phone as it is the only carrier that sells it. AT&T will tell a Nexus 4 user that they do not support the Nexus 4; AT&T has nothing to do with the updates for the Nexus 4. Also, T-Mobile uses only the 1700MHz band for LTE while AT&T uses primarily the 700MHz band and makes secondary use of the 1700MHz band for LTE. Even around the world, the LTE bands that are used vary quite a bit.

 

[el3ctronics]

Now, carriers DO control the updates to GPE's, and unlocked models as the internals are still designed to work on specific carriers such as CDMA or GSM. All the carriers work on different 4G/LTE bands that work for their specific phones on their specific network. This includes the Asian market as well. They have to have hardware built for all the different bands and the OS has to be tweaked to work with that hardware. And you can bet your buttocks that the carriers have their say when and how this gets done.

The only phone that gets updates at will is the NEXUS. The NEXUS is on one carrier which is AT&T (maybe t-mobile also as they are GSM). Google updates the NEXUS but the software is tweaked (by AT&T & Google) to work on that phone and on that carrier only so it's easy to update whenever they please! Just so happens GSM works globally using most of the same spectrum for LTE so that's a no-brainer as well. CDMA models are left in the dark soley for that purpose....easier to update without carrier interruption.

This couldn't be any further from the truth. Even though the AT&T model and Unlocked models are the same hardware, that doesn't mean they run the same software. HTC has to finalize the update for the hardware and THEN give it to AT&T. AT&T's approval process then has absolutely nothing to do with the unlocked models. They make optimizations for their network and make sure that their own software works with the latest update. Being that the unlocked models are NOT optimized to work on their network (even though they're the same hardware) and DON'T have any of AT&T's software, AT&T has no say whatsoever in the release date. In fact, the unlocked and dev edition models could (and should) have the update the same day it's given to AT&T b/c it's that EXACT version that AT&T needs to tweak for their own devices.

 

[Wullie32]

4.2 might be incremental but it's got a lot of positive changes that make using the phone a nicer experience, and the new Highlights themes are great. Stuff like that is important to me.

The "get a Nexus" argument doesn't really wash when the rest of the world has the update. I'm lucky enough to be one of those people but I can totally understand the frustration of US customers, especially with unlocked devices.

 

[Love Divine]

Yeah, again, it actually hurts the user experience to not have this update. Stuff like Quick Settings and Menu Bar fix will noticeably improve day to day usability. Battery percentage is a small but much appreciated change as well.

 

[EverNap]

Software updates will have zero impact on whether or not HTC succeeds from here on out because most people that buy their devices don't know the difference.

I agree that it won't make HTC succeed or fail, but giving timely updates (or at least even giving updates) removes annoyances that previous versions had. Removing these annoyances improves what feeling the users have about their phones. This in-turn leads them to maybe buy the next version of the same phone (or another Android). Although I do agree that most people don't care/know about updates/softwareVersion, the updates are definitely important, and it's just silly if manufacturers think they can leave their customers hanging.

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Maybe htc has to pay for it to be certified. If that's the case then why waste the money?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Do we know they don't? I know they shouldn't, but that doesn't mean they don't.

We'll never know for sure. Want updates? Get a Nexus. How long 4.2.2 has been available is irrelevant. You buy Nexus for software, everything else for hardware (except GPe).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

This is a whole lot of sense spoken.

Sent from my HTC One with MoDaCo.SWITCH Beta 8 using Mobile Nations mobile app