Really? Why all the Sprint/Samsung hate over Froyo?

[cordoni]

Needless to say, it's a huge understatement that Samsung's dropped the ball here. I would venture to say most of us like, and even love, our Epic phone. But failed customer support weighs heavily on a consumer's/user's mind, and when the shiny, new dual core smartphones start appearing later this year, with no doubt offerings by Samsung, you can be sure many of us will look to their competitors for the answer to our phone needs.

I am in the fascinate camp over on verizon, but feel very much the same. Now that I have a custom rom and theme based on a froyo release, I love my phone. But here is the rub. I realize froyo is likely the last os update samsung will give the current galaxy s owners, ever. Considerings that we have not seen the official froyo release yet, I believe we are doomed to eventually get a half baked crapped up herein of froyo, while samsung then focusses on their shiny new dual core phones, expecting us to just buy a new phone to get gingerbread or ice cream. Needless to say, with my experience with sanding this go around, I will look long and hard at htc and moto in the future.

Ok, sorry to crash an Epic/Sprint party.

Sent from my Froyo Fascinate using Tapatalk.

 

[gondo]

It's more HTC envy, in that they seem to properly support their products.

I had an Evo and liked it. I sold it and bought an Epic, mainly for the slideout keyboard.

From a support standpoint, it's turning into a mistake, unfortunately :-(

 

[gondo]

In response to cordoni...exactly!

 

[silverthornne]

That's your reason for spewing hatred at Samsung and/or Sprint? Some non-existent or as yet undiscovered security vulnerability? Really?

Wow. That was just an example, but if you really put so little value on future support from a hardware company after spending your money on their product by all means, spend your money on their products knowing you won't get timely support in the future!

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

 

[Skunkape60]

But for the rest of us who like to get under the hood and see what these babies can do, either a little or to the extreme, THIS is why we buy an Android phone.

And for us, the manufacturer's level of software support plays a key part in keeping our phone viable, current and USEFUL.

You guys who like to get the hood (so to speak), don't need the official froyo because you are going to be running roms anyway. Now that you have the source code, you shouldn't care at all about official samsung updates.

Sent from my Epic using Tapatalk

 

[gondo]

I would tend to disagree, in that future development of the Epic should continue to grow with the release of the official (and hopefully improved) Froyo update.

The only major developments for the Epic so far have been based on stock 2.1/Eclair, the leaked Froyo/DK28 and the official Froyo EB13 release from the other day that was pulled due to bugs.

The way I see it, without the official Froyo release, development is pretty much at a standstill. I mean, how many more turds can we polish with this thing?

Meanwhile, everyone else is making plans for Gingerbread...:-(

 

[dchawk81]

Wow. That was just an example, but if you really put so little value on future support from a hardware company after spending your money on their product by all means, spend your money on their products knowing you won't get timely support in the future!

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

I do put little value on corporate support. I avoid products that are garbage right out of the gate as well.

Nobody can say the Epic sucks with 2.1. Froyo just makes it better. The Best Buy rep never told me Froyo was coming...I didn't ask. I didn't know enough care.

What I expected was something better than my BlackBerry...and I got that.

You buy a brand new car...they don't upgrade it for free...ever. You can't get new parts just because they were developed...and new cars cost a helluva lot more than a phone. You want your car to act like a new car? Upgrade it yourself and install your own parts (root it and flash a custom ROM).

 

[Skunkape60]

You guys seen to forget you are the smallest segment of the phone buying public. You make up maybe 10% (if that).

There is another 10% who are like me who likes reading and learning about items they buy but are not so concerned about having the latest and greatest. As long as it works as it is supposed to and it does what I need it to do.

The rest don't care or even know what version software they have. They will keep their phones for the full term of their contract never questioning or worrying if they have the latest or greatest software or update. When they finish their contact they will get what is current then and start the process all over.

Can you guess which group samsung is most interested in?

It sure isn't the picky, fickle and hard to please techie....

If you think HTC, Motorola, Sony or any of the others are any different, you are sadly mistaken.

Sent from my Epic using Tapatalk

 

[cordoni]

I do put little value on corporate support. I avoid products that are garbage right out of the gate as well.

Nobody can say the Epic sucks with 2.1. Froyo just makes it better. The Best Buy rep never told me Froyo was coming...I didn't ask. I didn't know enough care.

What I expected was something better than my BlackBerry...and I got that.

You buy a brand new car...they don't upgrade it for free...ever. You can't get new parts just because they were developed...and new cars cost a helluva lot more than a phone. You want your car to act like a new car? Upgrade it yourself and install your own parts (root it and flash a custom ROM).

Here is the problem with that logic. A new car does not need a new engine installed to keep it running. The replacement parts and maintenance items are readily available.

Not so with smartphones. As the new os versions move forward, developers base new software on the new os. Eventually, if you don't get the new os, you are unable to fully utilize your device for new apps. And unlikely spark plugs and motor oil, custom roms require a manufacturer source code to base off of, generally. We with the fascinate could not even get froyo roms until the samsung source code was leaked. So its not just a matter of having the latest and greatest, its a matter of keeping the device I bought and locked into a contract with, functionimg as a working device and not becoming obsolete and useless before said contract is up.

Sent from my Froyo Fascinate using Tapatalk.

 

[dchawk81]

And here's the problem with your logic:

There's no rule or law saying you have to be able to run the latest version of every app made. Your phone doesn't become useless...it just isn't compatible with the latest stuff.

It's extremely rare that an app that works with 2.1 stops working when 2.2 is released and installed o other phones. That is NOT the same as an app requiring 2.2 (eg Skype).

 

[gondo]

No sense in volleying back and forth here about something that you do not particularly care about. Which is fine. But plenty of us do.

You liked what you saw, you bought the phone and you have been happy with its performance. I won't argue, stock/2.1 no doubt does the job just fine for perhaps most Epic owners, including myself. I'm using it right now.

The point of contention here is for those of us who essentially want to do more with our phones than what is offered right out of the box. Samsung did a good initial job with the Epic, giving us an excellent phone with great hardware based on an appealing, and for the most part, reliable version of Android. Where they have fallen short is in the support of this excellent phone. For those of us who want to take this phone further down the development path, a reliable (and timely) version of Froyo is essential at this point.

I'm not bashing the Epic and its initial configuration - it's a helluva phone. Yes, no one promised me any future updates either, and if updating my phone was not on my radar, I would care less too, as long as my phone did its job reliably.

But for those of use who enjoy taking advantage of Android's customization possibilities with this phone, and want to see the Epic further developed and improved, we NEED Samsung to provide timely and reliable updates. It just seems their priority is pushing out new products rather than supporting those already released.

Otherwise, we might as well buy a different or new phone, since as it stands now, future development of this phone is dead in the water.

And I'm not a hard-core hacker either, I'm more of a tinkerer, someone who likes to occasionally explore beyond the comfortable confines of a standard configuration.

 

[dchawk81]

Froyo source code is already out there. Anyone who wants it has it or can get it.

Development of ROMs is already under way for those of you who want to be tuners.

Heck I'm on Froyo now. You can get it too if you want. I'm sure the files are being hosted.

Samsung updates don't do anything except make it easy for consumers to get the latest. They do not spur development of ROMs. Or, more accurately, they're moot NOW because of the source already being out.

 

[gondo]

I updated to Froyo and had problems, like many others. I still have the downloaded update and can run it anytime.

I just don't feel like cursing my phone every day due to a stupid bug. Or worse, root it and install roms, then watch more bugs crawl out of the woodwork and finally give up in despair and roll back to 2.1...again.

Froyo (official/reliable) for the Evo 4G was released only 2 MONTHS after the Evo 4G came out.

The Froyo scoreboard says Samsung Epic - 0...fail :-(.

 

[dchawk81]

Fair enough, but that means you're not really someone who pushes his phone and tinkers around as you stated previoisly.

People who push the limits expect problems. It doesn't matter if it's phones, cars, airplanes, or warfare. Pushing limits is like R&D...mostly trial and error.

If you just want the latest most fantabulous perfect device, that's fine too. Just don't get pissed if it's not handed to you.

 

[gondo]

You're missing my point...but this is giving me a way to build my post level ;-).

I NEVER expect perfection in a new device of any kind, even a car. Sorry, I'm not that naive. Who wants to set themselves up for constant disappointment?

I LIKE the Epic...I DON'T LIKE Samsung's piss-poor support of it.

 

[Skunkape60]

Wow. That was just an example, but if you really put so little value on future support from a hardware company after spending your money on their product by all means, spend your money on their products knowing you won't get timely support in the future!

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

You're really reaching here. It's rare indeed, when a hardware company provides os level updates. I bought the latest and greatest HP desktop a while back. 7 months later windows 7 came out. My computers hardware specs were well above what was required by the software. Did HP think to update my computer with windows 7? Did Dell offer my daughter windows 7 when it came out? That is a resounding no to both.

I don't blame samsung for being late with the update. If you get anything more than driver updates with any of the hardware manufacturers, you should consider yourself lucky. They are not required nor should they be expected to provide os level upgrades. They are only required or expected to provide support for the product as it was put out.

Techno nerds, geeks, techies, power users (whatever you call them). Push the manufactures to continue to make faster and more powerful hardware. Much like the gaming industry has done for computers. I for one thank you. But software was never the hardware manufacturers forte nor is it what they do best and that's ok by me.

 

[bigtimeweb]

Thats just a silly comparison. OSes on PCs are purchased and licensed, Id never expect them to be upgraded...unless of course they were running a special. Buy now send in your rebate for a free upgrade to Win7!

I DO expect HP to update their printer drivers from XP to Win7, and just because we are now used to crappy service doesnt mean that we should all hang our head and take it. What happened to pride in your product, loyalty to your customer, and quality in your workmanship? See now its all about a buck to Corporate Earthdom while the consumer is still expecting something else, and WILLING and WAITING to give loyalty. THERE IS VALUE THERE!

But since you are on a PC hardware kick....
If you were waffling between a Dell with WIN7 and a HP with XP with slightly better specs to your liking, and HP told you during the decision process of purchase research and selection that even tho WIN7 wasn't installed it would be rolled out as an upgrade very shortly after you got it, perhaps you would be a little peeved that you had to spend 7 months waiting for the update, struggling with everyday tasks while everyone that bought the Dell around you was enjoying their PC and surfing with a flash enabled browser. Starts to make you double think about trusting HP and being loyal to them doesnt it? And maybe now you even regret choosing them over another manufacturer who IS supporting their consumers.

I work hard for my money. I was promised something. I waited and waited some more, then when they finally deliver its now outdated and half broken.

Give me a BREAK if you cant see the other side of the fence!

 

[tomy2001]

I agree with you 100%

The problem isn't the lack of Froyo itself - we've had ROMs for that for some time. The problem is why and how we don't have Froyo.

Why don't we have Froyo? Because Samsung has followed the trend of baked-in Android UIs to the extreme, reskinning the OS to an extent not seen this side of HTC's Sense, as Motoblur and LG's skins are largely forgettable. This is fine for HTC, since Sense is actually not terrible looking and kind of helpful at times, whereas Touchwiz is a garish, laggy, resource-hogging pile of amateur crap. It would be slightly less of a pile of crap if the Epic got TW 3.0 like every single other flavor of Galaxy S, but no, we get an even worse version all to ourselves - and don't we all just love having locked in SOFT KEYS for no discernible reason.

So if we concede that the Touchwiz launcher is useless at best, we could conclude that Samsung has simply wasted their time and move on with our business. But they haven't just wasted their time, they also wasted the consumer's time, my time, coding something that I will replace as a first priority. And not only have they wasted my time,
they wasted A LOT of it, more time than any other manufacturer out there - it took them 7 months (and counting) to do the job on the Epic that HTC was able to do on the Evo in 3. To add insult to injury, they did so while keeping us completely in the dark with an arrogance not seen this side of Apple, and after all that, the phone is STILL crippled by its shoddy software.

There is NO EXCUSE for a phone which, running stock 7 months after release, has software two versions old (I'm not counting the broken EB13 release), GPS that flat out doesn't work, a battery that can't get 10 hours of use because of the TWS bug, and a PROPRIETARY file system that works far less efficiently than the one it replaced. Yes, I'm aware I can fix all of these things, and I have, but my point is that I shouldn't need to. I remember a time when software and hardware was released completed and ready for prime time. This trend of manufacturers releasing unfinished products with the intention of fixing them post-purchase is wrong and needs to stop.

Sorry, Sammy. Your products are like the prom queen of the hardware world - beautiful to look at and your friends will be jealous that you have her, until she opens her mouth and you realize that she's maybe not all there.

I agree with you 100%. I love Samsung's hardware but I heat its software. They do not care about their future. Samsung is a huge company that makes different types of devices. They keep making more smartphones. For instnace, they just released the Samsung S with Gingerbread but they do not care that other costumers who bought its old smartphone to be stuck with old softwares. I bought Epic a day after its release(09/01/2010) because I knew it would be a great phone. I love my phone. I have my phone rooted and I have installed a great custom Rom with a great Kernel as well.
Just buy a Epic 4g one of the best smartphone ever made, then root it, get a the custom Rom and get a kernel such as Genocide 1.2 Ghz 0.3.
And enjoy it with all your heart.

 

[papa54]

speaking for myself only, the update to froyo2.2 is an issue with me personaly with verizon because i plainly ask and ask overe n pver is this the best and newest phone to be bought from you (being Verizon) their answer was yes and it will get its froyo update in a few weeks probably at the end of january at the latest. ok i bought it 12/30/2010. all over the net a update was coming.. like that toon the sky is falling is about all the wishy wash was.. they have consistantly shoved new dates every week or so then 2 days before my trial time was up they hollered all over the net it would be here on a date that would leave me stuck with my Fascinate from Verizon.,,welp, like a fool as i have always been with Verizon i took the chance.. still no update yet and this is the end of feb.. now if i promise you something you will have it or a real liget answer as being in a hospital etc.. but i would'nt drag you along under false fradulant actions and post. so for me , i never fore see me ever buying anything Samsung and i mean nothing, nada, and if Verizon had any company that had the covergaesVerizon had, i`d drop them fast,, early termination fees or not..

 

[Ontopofthegame]

I updated to Froyo and had problems, like many others. I still have the downloaded update and can run it anytime.

I just don't feel like cursing my phone every day due to a stupid bug. Or worse, root it and install roms, then watch more bugs crawl out of the woodwork and finally give up in despair and roll back to 2.1...again.

Froyo (official/reliable) for the Evo 4G was released only 2 MONTHS after the Evo 4G came out.

The Froyo scoreboard says Samsung Epic - 0...fail :-(.

Thats were your wrong froyo was not perfect when released on the Evo! The update made phones worse! The update completely bricked phones and htc posted the wrong or unusable version for the Evo on there website causing even more problems. The Evo has just as many update issues and problems as the Epic. Battery life, rooting, and using tango are some of the biggest problems I've seen on the Evo. Im tired of people thinking htc does things better then Samsung. Epic > Evo period!

http://www.androidcentral.com/evo-4g-update-pulled-over-problems

HTC EVO 4G Froyo Issues Spotted, Update Not Flawless According to Customers [HTC EVO 4G Android 2.2 Update Not Really a Great Overall Experience?] ? TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities