[Kelly Kearns]

"Now we’re looking at the next version of Android that’s currently available, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. 5.1 brought about a handful of UI tweaks for stock Android including the ability to quickly switch between WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices, among new animations for Material Design apps and other tweaks. These changes will likely be making their way into the Android 5.1.1 update for the Galaxy Note 4 as we’ve seen with the Galaxy S6’s Android 5.1.1 Preview. As is usual there’s no official timeline on the release of this update, but it’s likely to come sometime around August before the Galaxy Note 5 is announced in September."

Entire article here:

Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.1.1 Update In Testing Phase | Androidheadlines.com

[SpookDroid]

Plus carrier times :P At this rate, I'll have the Note 5 before the 4 is updated haha.

And there are also rumors that the Note 5 will be pulled to August instead of September to avoid competing directly with iPhone, so let's see. The sooner the better for me hehe

[Kelly Kearns]

Oh don't know about that.. 5.1.1 should go out quickly, carriers in the US have had it a long time and have been testing it.

I can't imagine the Note 5 being August.

This is exactly when I expected it to be revealed.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/57...l-out-date.htm

[SpookDroid]

Yeah, so far it's been unveiled at IFA, but rumors this year say that since there's the iPhone 6S+ to compete with now, Sammy might pull a -Netflix- and release the phone earlier.

Again, all rumors.

And in my case, I'm with T-Mo... they had the Lollicrap update (yeah, still not happy with Lollipoop) for months and they took their sweet time haha.

[Kelly Kearns]

I think a lot of carriers have been asking Samsung for a fix for some issues for lollipop, so they might all get it out fast. AT&T has been begging for one, but I haven't had issues with my phone and lollipop.

[beh]

US carriers don't give a rat's arse about upgrades. They only care about selling new phones that they can get maximum mark-up from. And better yet new phones at high mark-up coupled with added service contracts for maximum return on little or no investment.

[SpookDroid]

US carriers don't give a rat's arse about upgrades. They only care about selling new phones that they can get maximum mark-up from. And better yet new phones at high mark-up coupled with added service contracts for maximum return on little or no investment.

Wouldn't be too sure about that. People are getting more aggressive when it comes to demanding upgrades. And that means customer satisfaction rates. And that means people who either stop buying devices from them and go for unlocked ones, or simply flee to faster-updating carriers (or to iDevices, unfortunately. Credit is due, Apple updates all supported devices at once and you don't need to worry about carriers).

[beh]

Wouldn't be too sure about that. People are getting more aggressive when it comes to demanding upgrades. And that means customer satisfaction rates. And that means people who either stop buying devices from them and go for unlocked ones, or simply flee to faster-updating carriers (or to iDevices, unfortunately. Credit is due, Apple updates all supported devices at once and you don't need to worry about carriers).

Well if you have a completely locked system like Apple than yes upgrading is simple. And it is a real plus for users. With Android there are hundreds of phone suppliers and then dozens of carriers worldwide. If carriers were locked out of the system and Google and Manufacturers were the only upgraders things would be very much better. An even better scenario would be to have no additions by anyone of Google's OS except as downloadable apk and app programs all of which are optional to the phone user.

[Alex Wetzel]

Well if you have a completely locked system like Apple than yes upgrading is simple. And it is a real plus for users. With Android there are hundreds of phone suppliers and then dozens of carriers worldwide. If carriers were locked out of the system and Google and Manufacturers were the only upgraders things would be very much better. An even better scenario would be to have no additions by anyone of Google's OS except as downloadable apk and app programs all of which are optional to the phone user.

But then android would loose it's unique feature. Having the option of stock android or a custom OEM skin, as well as loosing all of the accompanying features that go along with using a custom skin.

[Alex Wetzel]

But then android would loose it's unique feature. Having the option of stock android or a custom OEM skin, as well as loosing all of the accompanying features that go along with using a custom skin.

Also, if Google were to have complete control over android software updates, they would want every phone to run stock android. Which means vastly decreased diversity and choice in the Android community.

[beh]

Also, if Google were to have complete control over android software updates, they would want every phone to run stock android. Which means vastly decreased diversity and choice in the Android community.

And therein lies the rub. If you want quick upgrades you have to have a single source OS, if you want choice you have to have an OS open to multiple iterations by multiple sources. No free lunch comes to mind
Possibly a longer cycle time between OS upgrades allowing more testing before release would help to eliminate many of the issues currently see in each new iteration of Android OS. What are your thoughts?

[Alex Wetzel]

And therein lies the rub. If you want quick upgrades you have to have a single source OS, if you want choice you have to have an OS open to multiple iterations by multiple sources. No free lunch comes to mind
Possibly a longer cycle time between OS upgrades allowing more testing before release would help to eliminate many of the issues currently see in each new iteration of Android OS. What are your thoughts?

Unless there is a way for OEMS to work directly with Google before and during an OS upgrade (don't they already do this?) so that we could still have custom skins for each major OEM while still maintaining a fast update schedule, that would be great.

[Cool Jeff]

Plus carrier times :P At this rate, I'll have the Note 5 before the 4 is updated haha.

And there are also rumors that the Note 5 will be pulled to August instead of September to avoid competing directly with iPhone, so let's see. The sooner the better for me hehe

Not always!
The S6 was clearly not well tested, like pink tint and board traces on the screen.
M9 camera was clearly not tested at all, it's only now with the new FW update that it can compete with S6 in daylight.
So better for samsung to test the Note 5 in every single detail before releasing it or the iphone 7+ will crush it (knowing the apple ads)
Any word about Note Edge 2?

[Kelly Kearns]

Carriers get the upgrades to test not long after the manufacturers get them.

We have had testing that has gone on for nearly a year and it still didn't get rid of carrier issues.

[LegalAmerican]

(or to iDevices, unfortunately. Credit is due, Apple updates all supported devices at once and you don't need to worry about carriers).

Yeah and it also means you wont get the new features in that update, so it's barely able to be considered an update. I do credit them for releasing updates quick and to the masses, but i'd rather Android's system and get more of the features from the update that is presented. Obviously hardware can limit some features, but Apple leaves out basic core functionality on a lot of devices when they get "updated".

[SpookDroid]

Most of the time only iDevices older than 2 years are left out. At the very least the previous generation gets all features, except hardware-related ones or VERY high-selling points, like Siri once upon a time. And in all honesty, current gen and previous would be all I'd expect manufacturers to support. Anything before that I just wouldn't ask them to tune for older hardware and expect performance to be acceptable.

[berryabusr88]

Don't want to be a downer. But based on a quick Google search there are some ugly bugs with 5.1.1 already.

Posted via the Android Central App

[SpookDroid]

That's why I've said it before and I'll say it again and I'll keep saying it: LOLLIPOOOOOOOOOOPCRAP!

[Cool Jeff]

Don't want to be a downer. But based on a quick Google search there are some ugly bugs with 5.1.1 already.

Posted via the Android Central App

Bugs on Note 4 or any other phones with 5.1.1?
Will try the leaked 5.1 Rom on my M9 these coming days, it's said to completely transform the phone (2x battery life, lagless, better camera,way cooler temps...)

[Kashif Salman]

still stuck on jellybean on my note2. Dammit Samsung update the device already!

[mookiekillsit]

Wouldn't be too sure about that. People are getting more aggressive when it comes to demanding upgrades. And that means customer satisfaction rates. And that means people who either stop buying devices from them and go for unlocked ones, or simply flee to faster-updating carriers (or to iDevices, unfortunately. Credit is due, Apple updates all supported devices at once and you don't need to worry about carriers).

Yeah, Apple absolutely murders Android in terms of upgrade rollouts. Like, it's not even a comparison. Obviously that's tough for Android phones to get that way since Apple isn't open source. Some people find it though to understand that. Android will never be able to compete w/ Apple in that phase. Never.

[zohaibk555]

I always like the products of Samsung and try to upgrade my current device, so waiting anxiously for another blockbuster release by Samsung.

[SpookDroid]

Yeah, Apple absolutely murders Android in terms of upgrade rollouts. Like, it's not even a comparison. Obviously that's tough for Android phones to get that way since Apple isn't open source. Some people find it though to understand that. Android will never be able to compete w/ Apple in that phase. Never.

Yes...and no. Android is Open Source, BUT if manufacturers want to keep the Android certification, there are still things that Google controls (which is why Amazon's devices don't have official access to Play Services). If they could make a modular OS so that the underlying core code is always the same in all Android devices and somehow allow the manufacturer's skinning and added features reside 'outside' of that code, they could, in theory, separate OS updates from manufacturer's updates and even carriers'. Sort of like updating an app through Google Play. Not saying it's easy, not even sure it's at all doable, but it's a way they could make sure Android stayed up to date across devices without having to settle for a Nexus.

[mookiekillsit]

Yes...and no. Android is Open Source, BUT if manufacturers want to keep the Android certification, there are still things that Google controls (which is why Amazon's devices don't have official access to Play Services). If they could make a modular OS so that the underlying core code is always the same in all Android devices and somehow allow the manufacturer's skinning and added features reside 'outside' of that code, they could, in theory, separate OS updates from manufacturer's updates and even carriers'. Sort of like updating an app through Google Play. Not saying it's easy, not even sure it's at all doable, but it's a way they could make sure Android stayed up to date across devices without having to settle for a Nexus.

I'm aware they *could* do that and I hope to whatever you pray to that they do. Updates are easily the most frustrating thing about Android. I'm sure they'll realize their problems and people's gripes about updates and try to make a more feasible solution but I don't see it happening any time in the near future unless they run a relatively stock Android like Moto.