Google Support's Statement On Updates

Google_Superuser

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Feb 8, 2013
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I asked Google Play support about update speed and the response was
Hello XXX,

Thank you for contacting Google Play Support Team.

Yes, the device will receive updates as quickly as the Nexus would receive updates.


If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reply to this email, give us a call at 855-83-NEXUS(63987) or visit our help center at:

http://support.google.com/googleplay...olicy=hardware

Regards,

Nia
Google Play Support Team

So should I take this as an official statement and believe it or chalk it off as support confusion?
 

SpookDroid

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Jul 14, 2011
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Support confusion... that might not be all that confused.

These 'Google Edition' phones are NOT receiving the updates directly from Google like Nexus devices do, BUT the manufacturers are working closely with Google to update them. Now, the manufacturers need to modify the core code because, after all, this is different hardware than the Nexus (and, for example, even the "Google Edition" Galaxy S4 retains SOME of the features of the regular S4).

I imagine that somewhere in the agreement with Google for these manufacturers to release a "Google Edition" phone is a clause that forces them to update within a certain timeframe after they get the new code. MIGHT be forced to coincide with Google's release to the Nexus line or within a very short, reasonable window.
 

Google_Superuser

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I am having a tough time deciding whether not to get this phone. I like the removable SD and I think the hardware buttons could be nice since they free up screen space that would be taken up by the action bar. Neither of these things are likely to show up on a nexus phone.....but I hate slow updates.

I am kind of inclined to trust Google since they have yet to let me down and they said fast updates and I don't think anyone would consider more than a week or two behind release as fast.
 

Sasazuka

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I had heard that Google Play Edition devices were getting them "soon". I saw it in the live blog for Google's announcement on 7/24 but I can't find the exact link to the live blog. This is as close to it based on what I found:

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean will be rolled out to the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, first-gen Nexus 7, and the Galaxy Nexus starting today, with the HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Editions getting it "very soon" as well.
Source.