The story behind the 'Samsung doesn't want you to have Froyo' thing ...

[crabjoe]

The email makes sense to me.

I don't think bloatware can hold up any OS to the extent that Froyo has been with the US Galaxy S phones. Good Lord ... Developers are always taking out carrier bloatware and if you want to install specific ones, it's just an apk. Not only that, if Android software had to be customized to run on Android, there would need to be different versions of software for every make and model of Android phone on the market. I know Shazam and a bunch of other programs in the market work just fine on my phones.

As for Samsung holding up the software... I can see any company doing it. It's no sweat off Samsung's back since they're in the business of selling hardware and the general public has no idea on the different versions of Android. All the average person see's on the Galaxy S phones is that SAMOLED screen. Plus, it's the carrier that get's most of the flack for not pushing the update. But in Samsung's case, most of their updates have been via Kies. So if Sammy really wanted to push Froyo to the Vibrant, they could just push it with Kies.

Here's another reason I see this being true... The US is a huge market, maybe even the largest, if you're looking at any individual country. Samsung has stated they want to sell 60 MILLION phones this year and if they can end date the hardware that was released in 2010, they end up with a larger pool of potential customers.

There's no reason for T-Mobile or any carrier to not want to update their existing phones. Carriers are in the business of selling service and if a customer keeps their phone longer, they can make more money. Why spend on subsidizing a phone, if they can keep it in their pockets?

 

[thebizz]

Their is no way you can tell me samsung can't make a stable version of froyo for the us market. If they can build it for upcoming devices then they should be able to with the current phones

 

[jdm4u]

Looking into all these rumors and tips that have been released recently, i'm feeling a bit upset with t-mobile.

BUT heres the thing...

As stated before, idk if here or another forum, I have been reading too many threads about this now, technology is always upgraded. I am upset that there is a Vibrant 4G being released now, with everything i actually wanted in the original vibrant, but if im not mistaken, wasn't this done before? Not with Samsung, but with HTC. When the mytouch 3g came out I bought it because it was a cool little device and i didnt need a keyboard like the g1 had. Later on, the Mytouch 3G 3.5mm came out. Were people upset back then as they are now? It was the same mytouch, just updated. I didn't even know about it until my mytouch got damaged and i claimed insurance on it, and i was getting the 3.5mm version. Honestly, Its all business. I hate to say it, because now i really feel that t-mobile/samsung really gave us the finger here, but we really shouldn't be surprised about all this.

What doesnt make sense is why release and updated vibrant when:

1. All everyone wants is 2.2
2. The samsung Galaxy S 2 is going to be revealed as soon as February from what I understand.

So is there really a reason to release an updated vibrant??? And if so, the new Vibrant is still another middle finger because they didn't load it with 2.3.

 

[thebizz]

Exactly the s2 will most likely come with 2.3 and release a little after mid year as we said before Samsung doesn't care about your experience they just want your money

 

[crabjoe]

Lookie here!! Samsung responds to claims of holding back Vibrant's Froyo update | Android Atlas - CNET Blogs

CNet wrote Samsung about the rumor and they got back a reply.

Samsung's reply basically says they are still testing Froyo on the Galaxy S phones in the US and it will be released when it's ready.

I'd say their response gives more credence to the tipster.

Samsung has Failed Again!!!

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Lookie here!! Samsung responds to claims of holding back Vibrant's Froyo update | Android Atlas - CNET Blogs

CNet wrote Samsung about the rumor and they got back a reply.

Samsung's reply basically says they are still testing Froyo on the Galaxy S phones in the US and it will be released when it's ready.

I'd say their response gives more credence to the tipster.

Samsung has Failed Again!!!

I'd say their response gives more credence to the fact that it's hard to get U-Verse or Bing Maps to play nice with touchwiz...

 

[DroidXcon]

+1 I dont see how that aligns with anything besides our carriers are PITA

I'd say their response gives more credence to the fact that it's hard to get U-Verse or Bing Maps to play nice with touchwiz...

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

[the3dgm]

This may be comparing apples and oranges, however. . .

I came from a Blackberry Bold 9000 to the Samsung Captivate this past Nov. 2010. The BB 9000 needed upgraded from OS 4.x to 5.x. The last country in the World to get the update was the U.S. The upgrade came from Blackberry it's self via it's version of Kies. (OK, the programs have nothing in common as Blackberry's does updates, backs your phone up to your computer, sync's everything, etc. and Kies does. . . nothing!)

The only thing I'm saying, I guess, is this is my second time with this b.s. just a different phone. I'm giving it till March and then if still no upgrade I'll root and figure out who's ROM to try.

 

[DroidXcon]

Why bother waiting

This may be comparing apples and oranges, however. . .

I came from a Blackberry Bold 9000 to the Samsung Captivate this past Nov. 2010. The BB 9000 needed upgraded from OS 4.x to 5.x. The last country in the World to get the update was the U.S. The upgrade came from Blackberry it's self via it's version of Kies. (OK, the programs have nothing in common as Blackberry's does updates, backs your phone up to your computer, sync's everything, etc. and Kies does. . . nothing!)

The only thing I'm saying, I guess, is this is my second time with this b.s. just a different phone. I'm giving it till March and then if still no upgrade I'll root and figure out who's ROM to try.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

[thebizz]

I'd say their response gives more credence to the fact that it's hard to get U-Verse or Bing Maps to play nice with touchwiz...

That very well could be true all this bloat or stuff added to it could really slow down development

 

[the3dgm]

Why bother waiting

a) I'm still under warranty

b) I'm the only person who had Samsung fix his/her phone to correct the 'Sleep/Die' problem and the phone flat out works now

c) I've got to get the best battery life of any Android Phone ever made LOL 4 to 5 days per charge with moderate use.

d) My phone was not purchased to replace either of my computer systems or for playing games

e) And, I'm really not in a hurry since the phone is doing everything I want it to and more

However, I wont wait forever, otherwise, I wouldn't be on the Androidcentral forums

 

[icebike]

Lookie here!! Samsung responds to claims of holding back Vibrant's Froyo update | Android Atlas - CNET Blogs

CNet wrote Samsung about the rumor and they got back a reply.

Samsung's reply basically says they are still testing Froyo on the Galaxy S phones in the US and it will be released when it's ready.

I'd say their response gives more credence to the tipster.

Samsung has Failed Again!!!

All sammy said was:

Samsung feels it is important to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available only after we feel that we can give the millions of U.S. Galaxy S owners a simple and reliable upgrade experience. Due to the complexity and unique functionality of each Galaxy S device, we are performing additional testing and are working to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available to all U.S. Galaxy S owners, including the Samsung Vibrant, as soon as possible.

.

I bolded the marketing droid speak portion, the part that looks like weasel words to me.

T-Mobiles pretty much pure Google Vibrant may well be ready to go.

But as Jerry hinted at in another post, it may be that T-Mobile is being pressured to hold back because some OTHER Galaxy phones are not ready, maybe the Binged Galaxy versions.

Its entirely possible that Samsung had to make concessions to carriers in order to get them all to come out with their semi-custom Galaxy phones at the same time. That concession being that they will all have access to the Update at the same time. All galaxy customers and carriers treated equally.

So it might just be a contractual obligation???

(I know, conspiracies are more fun. So for those of you wanting that road there is this XDA Developer's Class action suit. )

In any event, this story should be getting front-of-the-blog play, as it is on most other Android sites. It shouldn't be buried down here in the forums where both Samsung and T-Mobile can ignore it. Nothing forces openness like lots of airplay.

 

[soccerdon1981]

Why bother waiting

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

Exactly.....get to flashin'!

Sent from my Fascinate via Tapatalk

 

[Phil Nickinson]

In any event, this story should be getting front-of-the-blog play, as it is on most other Android sites. It shouldn't be buried down here in the forums where both Samsung and T-Mobile can ignore it. Nothing forces openness like lots of airplay.

1. As soon as I see a lawsuit, and not just someone saying he filed a lawsuit, I'll start to care. Feel free to send me the link. (And update me if and when a judge actually approves the class.)

2. We're not like most other Android sites. Not coincidentally, we're also the biggest and best.

 

[Daedalus]

Personally i hope the guys gets his class action suit going. when he does I will submit my information to the Law Firm and only the Law Firm not to some guy on a forum.

Secondly Google could prevent this in the future by telling each manufacture that they can not and will not fragment the Android OS. The easy way to accomplish this is is access to thing like the Market and releasing a minimum spec for each version released, anything exceeds those specs must be updated by the carrier and if within 120 days of them getting the release it has not been accomplished all later phone will be blocked from critical Android resources, like the Market, Google Maps,...

This can be accomplished by IMEI numbers, can you imagine the Vibrant 2 (4G) what ever they are going to call it with no access to android apps, or Google maps that would be and a nice little uproar at the Carriers and Manufactures.

 

[DroidXcon]

i can picture it now.......


Judge: In the case of XYZ company dumping chemical waste into the water supply can causeing sickness in children the date will be Feb. 15th

Next!!

State your case

Mr.Smith: Yes your honor i would like to file a lawsuit against Samsung.

Judge: On what grounds

Mr.Smith: well your honor, i dont have chrome to phone yet and i cant watch flash videos ...I WANT MY FROYO

 

[Daedalus]

i can picture it now.......


Judge: In the case of XYZ company dumping chemical waste into the water supply can causeing sickness in children the date will be Feb. 15th

Next!!

State your case

Mr.Smith: Yes your honor i would like to file a lawsuit against Samsung.

Judge: On what grounds

Mr.Smith: well your honor, i dont have chrome to phone yet and i cant watch flash videos ...I WANT MY FROYO

Now see that is Narrow minded, the grounds of the law suit if unfair business practice and false advertisement Faulty Hardware.

First the CEO said the entire platform will get Froyo at the launch of the Phone (False Advertisement), second every other GS has received Froyo or there is a slotted date for it currently just the US phones (Unfair business Practice), and finally the GPS does not work on them and no we should not have to open the case to to modify a connector to make it work.

Several years ago HP was sued because a complete series of Laptops had a faulty Power plug which toasted the motherboards. They were sued and every person that had some sort of their proof of purchase had the Warranty extended by 2 years.

So quit being narrow minded.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

I'll bet there's an intern in Samsung's legal department, praying every night that some lawyer is silly enough to try to take that to court.

 

[Jinnyh20]

I love Android but its things like this that make me want an iphone
Updates take forever am still waiting on netflix and when we do get it am sure its not gonna be nice as the iphone Google act like they don't care your phone comes loaded with crap software for some people its too much
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

Now see that is Narrow minded, the grounds of the law suit if unfair business practice and false advertisement Faulty Hardware.

First the CEO said the entire platform will get Froyo at the launch of the Phone (False Advertisement), second every other GS has received Froyo or there is a slotted date for it currently just the US phones (Unfair business Practice), and finally the GPS does not work on them and no we should not have to open the case to to modify a connector to make it work.

Several years ago HP was sued because a complete series of Laptops had a faulty Power plug which toasted the motherboards. They were sued and every person that had some sort of their proof of purchase had the Warranty extended by 2 years.

So quit being narrow minded.

Samsung also said this when asked about it, in an interview or whatbe, and it was mostly reported on Android websites like Android Central and others. I've never once seen a commercial (which is where 95% of the average user is going to see it's information on a phone, aside from in-store) touting "This phone will be upgraded to Android 2.2!"

Yes, they said we would get it. Yes, I'm frustrated that we haven't gotten it. Grounds for a class action lawsuit based on false ADVERTISING? Nope.