Updates like Apple

[chanchan05]

Samsung shoot themselves in the foot on this. But I don't think they care. Look at how many different versions of the note 8 there are. Every single one requiring a different firmware version. In the uk alone there are 4 carrier versions and 2 unlocked at least! This makes the whole process of updating much slower.

I'm sure they could have a generic firmware that works for everything just like apple do. Then have a separate carrier specific over the air update for the network specific things. Just like apple do. I don't know, maybe this can't work for android but it seems the way Samsung approach the software with so many variations is just counter productive for supporting fast updates

The difference is in the beginning. iPhone initially sold as exclusives. It started as exclusive to one carrier in various countries. Carriers were the ones who went to Apple to beg to let them sell the phone too. So Apple has the control, and told the carriers what they can and cannot do.

On the Android side, there are so many manufacturers that carriers can pick and choose what to sell. So companies like Samsung and LG are the ones who went to manufacturers and asked what conditions are needed for them to sell their phones. It's not that Android manufacturers just don't care. But the contracts are just that long. For example the reason why Samsung can't sell Exynos phones in the US is because of a 23 year old contract with Samsung.

Also yes there is a generic firmware, especially for non-US unlocked units. You can flash different region variants. Except that you may have language problems.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

So you haven't been reading and following Google's Project Treble?

https://www.xda-developers.com/goog...stem-image-android-oreo-vendor-image-pixel-2/

 

[monil]

Why can’t all android devices get updated like all apple devices do? My iPhone is on beta which anyone can join and I always have the latest software. Even without beta all iPhones get updated all at once. My note 8 with its cost should be on Oreo by now! Why can’t android update like apple its very annoying.

What bothers me is every other person feels that since its a high price phone, it needs to receive updates "yesterday". Yes, Android is fragmented, Project Treble is trying to address that complexity. It will take time to be there, we all need to be patient, thats all.

Price of the phone you pay is for the "current" hardware/ software. Sure, timely updates are needed but, Samsung and other vendors are churning out new products (read, not just phones, many other home appliances).

People here and any other android forum compare IOS to Android ecosystem. Agreed, Apple has an edge on that. But, they grew by being the sole provider of IOS powered devices. Name any other manufacturer who provides IOS capable devices? With Android, as others have pointed out, its not 1, but 100s of vendors world-wide.

Please stop making references to "cost" of the phone vs Update speeds. It does not materialize. If you care for to the minute updates, maybe Samsung/ any other vendor is not the right source. Google/ Apple may fit your needs.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Microsoft Windows supported by multiple OEMs

Windows, like iOS, is still closed source. The modifications done by Acer, HP, etc, are done superficially, they aren't altering code in the OS itself.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Every other phone manufacturer has the same issue that Samsung has and they don't have any issues rolling out Oreo 8.1.

The excuse that Samsung is making a ton of modifications is crap. Samsung is the worst company at updates.

Almost no one has rolled out 8.1 and it's been out since 2017. Most devices don't have 8.0 yet and they've had the majority of the code for it for over a year.

 

[Ry]

So you haven't been reading and following Google's Project Treble?

https://www.xda-developers.com/goog...stem-image-android-oreo-vendor-image-pixel-2/

Treble doesn't mean Google can update devices without the OEM.

 

[Note8uzer]

So much this.

If you want an Apple-like experience for updates from Android, you need to buy a device from the core company - Google. This means buying the Pixel line of devices (which actually end up being quite good). I have a Pixel 2 XL, but I also feel the Samsung update lag as I have a Tab S3 which only recently received a "monthly" security patch beyond August 2017 (yes, 6 months late on the monthly security patch cycle).

Samsung MUST do better. Those monthly patches are not major revisions to the OS, they're simply fixing holes that have been found and should result in little to no impact on the customization Samsung forces on folks.

I agree, vote with your wallet, go buy something else if Samsung frustrates you so much. Sadly, there will be someone else standing in line to buy the device you didn't...

Time will tell. Customers will get fed up with not having updates and in time, and in the long run it may hurt Samsung sales.

 

[Deke218]

How often does Apple issue an os update? Once a year? If Samsung delivers Oreo to the Note 8 in the next couple of weeks, that beats Apple in the update game. Got to put in perspective.

 

[Deke218]

Time will tell. Customers will get fed up with not having updates and in time, and in the long run it may hurt Samsung sales.

95% of consumers could care less about updates. Most don't even know updates are coming.

 

[hallux]

Time will tell. Customers will get fed up with not having updates and in time, and in the long run it may hurt Samsung sales.

The situation with Samsung has been going on for too long for a "time will tell" statement. Unless people wake up and stop being "sheep" and flocking to Samsung devices DESPITE this situation, it will continue to happen.

How often does Apple issue an os update? Once a year? If Samsung delivers Oreo to the Note 8 in the next couple of weeks, that beats Apple in the update game. Got to put in perspective.

Apple issues a major revision once a year, but point releases on a somewhat regular basis (iOS 11, released in the fall is now at 11.2.6). I consider those point releases almost equivalent to Google's monthly patches.

IMO, Samsung needs to work on getting the monthly patches out to ALL supported devices in a timely manner, getting them out to two devices can NOT be considered acceptable. Until a couple weeks ago, my $600 Samsung tablet that was released in 2017 was STILL vulnerable to the KRACK exploit. I considered other devices but iOS was not an option and there wasn't another option in the ~10" tablet with >32GB capacity on Android or I wouldn't be on a Samsung tablet. Sure, I should have voted with my wallet as I suggested others do but there simply wasn't a choice and I think Samsung knows it.

In fact, another site posted an article on just this - what manufacturers are best at keeping devices up to date. https://9to5google.com/2018/02/28/android-security-by-brand/

 

[Deke218]

The sheep analogy...
Again, I would venture to guess that a very high majority of Samsung device owners are even aware of os updates or security patches.

I had the first Android device <T-Mobile G1> and quite a few since. There frequency of updates never factored into how I spent my money. Matter of fact, I prefer the update schedule Samsung had adopted. It makes for a stable release. Also that fact that Samsung usually implements a lot of the newer features into its os before the lastest version of Android is released tends to hold me over.

Oreo will get here when it gets here and I can wait.

 

[chanchan05]

The situation with Samsung has been going on for too long for a "time will tell" statement. Unless people wake up and stop being "sheep" and flocking to Samsung devices DESPITE this situation, it will continue to happen.



Apple issues a major revision once a year, but point releases on a somewhat regular basis (iOS 11, released in the fall is now at 11.2.6). I consider those point releases almost equivalent to Google's monthly patches.

IMO, Samsung needs to work on getting the monthly patches out to ALL supported devices in a timely manner, getting them out to two devices can NOT be considered acceptable. Until a couple weeks ago, my $600 Samsung tablet that was released in 2017 was STILL vulnerable to the KRACK exploit. I considered other devices but iOS was not an option and there wasn't another option in the ~10" tablet with >32GB capacity on Android or I wouldn't be on a Samsung tablet. Sure, I should have voted with my wallet as I suggested others do but there simply wasn't a choice and I think Samsung knows it.

In fact, another site posted an article on just this - what manufacturers are best at keeping devices up to date. https://9to5google.com/2018/02/28/android-security-by-brand/

Except as far as I can tell, that is mostly a US only issue with regards to the Tab S3.

One of the UK versions got the January security patch last January 10, and the patch has rolled out in stages to various regions since then. If I remember correctly the only international Tab S3's still stuck in the October/November patch are the ones in China. But that place is a whole different animal.

They're not perfect though. Some only getting the patches as late as Feb 20.

The main problem with US devices though as mentioned in this forum somewhere else is that Samsung doesn't have push servers for updates in the US. Even their unlocked phones get updates from carriers which is why US unlocked phones get the short end of the stick. No idea why they don't have their own servers for the US though.

 

[Ry]

Time will tell. Customers will get fed up with not having updates and in time, and in the long run it may hurt Samsung sales.

The only thing that will significantly change how things are today will be if one of these major flaws are actually exploited, IMO.

There is no significant customer base today that's clamoring for updates.

 

[hallux]

Except as far as I can tell, that is mostly a US only issue with regards to the Tab S3.

One of the UK versions got the January security patch last January 10, and the patch has rolled out in stages to various regions since then. If I remember correctly the only international Tab S3's still stuck in the October/November patch are the ones in China. But that place is a whole different animal.

Yup, and the previous one was August, 2017. Meanwhile, the device had an open security hole. That's too long for a current-generation device to not be updated with what is an important security update.

 

[chanchan05]

Yup, and the previous one was August, 2017. Meanwhile, the device had an open security hole. That's too long for a current-generation device to not be updated with what is an important security update.

And as I'm pointing out, it looks to me more of another Samsung vs Carriers issue rather than Samsung refusing to roll out the updates. If the international community got the updates but the US doesn't, and the US uses carrier servers for the updates, doesn't that point to the carriers just not hosting the updates?

Honestly I wish these people would just publicize their contracts so we can understand but that's not gonna happen.

 

[Ry]

And as I'm pointing out, it looks to me more of another Samsung vs Carriers issue rather than Samsung refusing to roll out the updates. If the international community got the updates but the US doesn't, and the US uses carrier servers for the updates, doesn't that point to the carriers just not hosting the updates?

Honestly I wish these people would just publicize their contracts so we can understand but that's not gonna happen.

You'd have to know if Samsung made the update for the carrier version and the carrier is refusing to take it/test it.

We don't know that so this whole blame the carriers narrative is misguided.

Knowing that it's about the money, I can't reasonably assume that an OEM is diligently working on an update for a device that they've already collected money on (versus putting engineering resources on the upcoming device).

Also - looking at the URL on some Motorola OTAs, it doesn't look like carriers (Verizon) are "hosting" the file.

 

[ZOMMBIE1]

I would never want updates like apple! probably 10 updates already on iOS 11 and each one introduces more bugs. my iPad is ruined cause of all these updates.

 

[Ry]

I would never want updates like apple! probably 10 updates already on iOS 11 and each one introduces more bugs. my iPad is ruined cause of all these updates.

...and then you have user feedback like this.

 

[chanchan05]

You'd have to know if Samsung made the update for the carrier version and the carrier is refusing to take it/test it.

We don't know that so this whole blame the carriers narrative is misguided.

That only holds true for phones. But the device in question is a tablet. There was a thread here were it was discussed that a Samsung rep said that even for unlocked devices direct from Samsung, it's carriers who host it because they don't have servers in the US. I don't remember if the tablet in question was mentioned to be a carrier branded device, but wifi only tablets don't need carrier specific software. They just need the regional server to push it from. So the argument that maybe Samsung didn't make carrier versions if the firmware doesn't really hold for tablets and unlocked phones. I remember still a few years ago when wifi only versions of the Tab 4 in the US and Canada was way behind in updates but flashing the wifi only firmware from the UK works fine. Because those things don't need carrier version software.

 

[hallux]

And as I'm pointing out, it looks to me more of another Samsung vs Carriers issue rather than Samsung refusing to roll out the updates. If the international community got the updates but the US doesn't, and the US uses carrier servers for the updates, doesn't that point to the carriers just not hosting the updates?

My device is WiFi-only, no carrier interaction should mean FASTER updates. There is a Verizon version, I'm not sure that's been updated since I don't see a firmware version for it on sammobile.com