Samsung sued for lack of updates.

[Note8uzer]

This seemed like a fitting place to post this article about the lawsuit against Samsung for lack of updates.

https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-dutch-court-849242/

 

[Zulfigar]

They want two years of updates after the phone is picked up for the first time, not when it hits the shelves? A pipe dream that they won't win.

 

[Note8uzer]

Some phones didn't get updates for years.

 

[anon(7901790)]

And tablets. I've gotten exactly two updates on my Galaxy Tab S2 Nook in the almost three years that I've owned it. One was an OS upgrade to Marshmallow, and the other was security update I got a few weeks ago.

The problem is that it isn't entirely Samsung's fault. At least not for carrier variants, and in my case Barnes & Noble Nook version of the Tab S2. This is especially true for the smaller carriers. Samsung is not the only Android OEM that is viewed as slow to get out updates. Samsung IS the largest Android device OEM though, and therefore is taking the brunt of the criticism.

The reason why it is not entirely on Samsung, is that my Verizon Note 8 is getting regular monthly updates. That was the same for my S8+. That's not giving Samsung a complete pass. It is still responsible for its WiFi only and non-carrier (i.e. unlocked) variants of its devices.

 

[anon(1733)]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

 

[Jewels81]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

Amen

 

[Gary02468]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue[?]

Many jurisdictions require that a product be usable and safe for a reasonable time, even if the seller didn't specifically say so. It's plausible to argue that when security updates are no longer provided, a smartphone stops being safely usable.

 

[sweetypie31]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

This!

 

[Tim1954]

Yup. My S7 was updated and promptly died. My S8 got updated yesterday from October security patch! I usually get the latest galaxy phone on release, but not this year and probably not ever again... Let you feet do the talking, product doesn't live up to your expectations? Don't buy it.

 

[Almeuit]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

TBH -- It isn't the US so "what grounds do you have to sue" is something I can't answer since I am not an expert on the laws over there.

 

[Mooncatt]

Something tells me getting a Samsung phone may become a rather tedious process in the future for the Dutch.

 

[Lepa79]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

Thank you sir. We live in a strange world.

 

[Gary02468]

If a car manufacturer discovers a defect in some model that makes the car unsafe or unusable, they are required to offer customers a free repair. For smartphones, such defects are often repaired by firmware updates, especially security updates for user safety. As with cars, those repairs should be mandatory so that the product remains safe and usable at least for a reasonable period after purchase. (On the other hand, improvement updates, such as an upgrade to a new OS version, should not be mandatory unless specifically advertised.)

 

[Mooncatt]

If a car manufacturer discovers a defect in some model that makes the car unsafe or unusable, they are required to offer customers a free repair. For smartphones, such defects are often repaired by firmware updates, especially security updates for user safety. As with cars, those repairs should be mandatory so that the product remains safe and usable at least for a reasonable period after purchase. (On the other hand, improvement updates, such as an upgrade to a new OS version, should not be mandatory unless specifically advertised.)

Except the term "unsafe" in regards to cars and other goods refers to physical harm. For example, in the U.S., you're not going to see a mandated recall on a car for a broken fuel gauge because that isn't affecting your immediate safety. As much as it sucks to be hacked, that does not affect your personal safety.

And what does this group expect as a result if they win? If Samsung is forced to comply, expect prices to rise even more to pay for that continued development. Compare that to "grey market" products. A lot of people buy overseas versions instead of U.S. equivalents because they are cheaper. Why are they cheaper when they are all manufactured at the same place? Warranties. When you buy that grey market item and bring it to the States, you will not have a warranty. The higher price of U.S. versions is due in large part to covering the warranty claims. I would expect no different for Samsung to now have more updates, assuming they don't pull out of the country all together.

 

[Gray Area]

Unless they specifically said the device would get timely updates then what grounds do you have to sue.

If you don't like their policies or how they do business then go somewhere else. Vote with your dollars. Why people like this think they have the right to force companies to do what they want is beyond me. What they are saying is I chose to buy your phone. Wasn't forced. And now I demand you update it as I see fit.

Vote with your money and buy something else. I don't understand how people think like this. That's the world we live in. If I don't agree or like what a company does I buy from somewhere else.

Agreed

 

[Golfdriver97]

If we made this a bit more vague and said a PC that cost $1,000 as opposed to a phone. That PC did not get any kind of update to protect itself against Spectre/Meltdown. Would that be fine with everyone? I would honestly have an issue with it. Especially since Meltdown affects almost every SoC made, including Snapdragons.