OS-related question

[Thiscrapsucks35]

Will be switching from an ip 4s to either the HTC One or the G4. It's a bit of a tough choice but my preference is the One.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but eventually you should be able to upgrade the One to Android 4.2.2, right? If so, what's the holdup?

 

[adriandb]

Will be switching from an ip 4s to either the HTC One or the G4. It's a bit of a tough choice but my preference is the One.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but eventually you should be able to upgrade the One to Android 4.2.2, right? If so, what's the holdup?

I just made the same switch you did. OS updates are one of the few things that are incredibly craptacular on Android. First Google has to release the updated version, in terms of 4.2.2 this is done. Then the device manufacturers have to update their UIs and other device specific drivers to work with the updated OS. Then it gets released to the carriers. Now the carriers have very little incentive to actually tackle the next step in the process which is for them to add in their own bloatware and add any UI tweaks they have, fully test the OS on the device on their network, etc. Then the carrier would release the update.

If you decide, like I did, to get either the unlocked or DE One directly from HTC then you don't have to worry about the carrier, but you do have to wait for HTC to release the update. HTC has not given any info as to whether or not they'll do an update and if they do, when it will be ready.

In my eyes, the prudent thing to do when buying an Android device is to assume that the OS that comes with it is the only one you'll have.

 

[neilnat]

That said, a brand new flagship device like the One will get at least one major update. If we do not get 4.2.2 (which has pretty minor changes from 4.1.2), we will jump straight to 5.0 (KLP) a couple of months after it hits. I would gladly give up 4.2.2 if it means getting 5.0 a month earlier.

 

[mamartin89]

Yes, I'm hoping we just skip right over to KLP! 4.2.2 is so minor.