What's Keeping Gingerbread?

[dzuchowski]

i know what is keeping Gingerbread is that Hansel has eaten it...

 

[Bigfire]

Have we had significant discussion on what Gingerbread will enhance or fix? Since we seem to have no word on when, maybe it would be good to try get an understanding of why we should even worry about what will be in this next version?

 

[dzuchowski]

Have we had significant discussion on what Gingerbread will enhance or fix? Since we seem to have no word on when, maybe it would be good to try get an understanding of why we should even worry about what will be in this next version?

the ceo already stated what gingerbreak is and is not. it is not 3,x as 3.x will be called honeycomb and be for tablets. 2.3 will be the one with a new user interface that will not support sense and other overlays. 2.3 will support Near Field Services and an updated maket place. please see: Google’s Schmidt: Android Gingerbread to have near-field-communication support

android gingerbread will also get tabbed browsing: Android Gingerbread Gets Tabbed Browsing

 

[donharden2002]

Wow were talking gingerbread and some of us cant even get froyo yet. Ive got a captivate and would love to have froyo on it, maybe att is going to just skip the froyo update and send us a taste of gingerbread. Wishful thinking never hurt anyone, right?

 

[gwilo]

^
Do not forget the X10 people that just got Eclair

 

[JoseN305]

They waiting for google music

 

[keebz]

How long do you think current phones like Droid Incredible specifically will be able to keep receiving new Android OS versions? Like 2.3, 3.0, so on...? I hope for the length of my 24 month contract!

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

It all depends on how long Verizon intends on supporting the device. The Droid Eris had a relatively short life cycle, but that was also "mid-ranged" or "lower end" Android device as well. The Droid on the other hand is, at least up until now still receiving OS updates through FroYo.

I expect that the Incredible will receive Gingerbread in the least as it is more than capable of running it. The only factor is WHEN will it get it...that my friends, is the big question...

 

[Brett]

Like Chris stated, it all depends on the devices life cycle. If a cellphone provider feels that they don't want to push an update to specific device then they won't and instead they will focus on top selling devices. It also comes down to the manufacturer as well.

An example of i being up to a manufacturer is Motorola's Droid. Rumor has it that they did not want to develop an update of Froyo for the Droid because they wanted their newer devices (Droid X and Droid 2) to be their main selling point. This is the funny part of this rumor, Google stepped in and told them that if they did not push out an update for the Droid then Google would not allow Motorola access to their Google apps (gmail, market etc.)

Google has a lot of power when it comes to pushing out updates to phones. Android is open source and anybody can use it but their apps aren't. Their apps are the kicker of android. You can't have android on a cellphone device without those apps and expect it to sell.

Keep in mind, if there isn't an official update pushed to your phone then you can always find an update in the dev areas. Look at the G1, they have Froyo and yet it was never officially pushed.

 

[beez1717]

I agree with google that they should force support. That and they should also force companies to follow their upgrade schedule. That way they minimize fragmentation.

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[Chris Kerrigan]

I agree with google that they should force support. That and they should also force companies to follow their upgrade schedule. That way they minimize fragmentation.

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Two problems lie within that...

Then you either force companies to stop using custom overlays and such on Android (which would completely break the open source aspect of Android) or you force companies to release an OS update on an untested customization of your operating system. We can sit here a complain all we want, but when it comes down to it a big reason other devices take so long in getting OS updates is because they are customized versions of the Android platform. That's why stock Android devices (Nexus One, Droid) tend to get these updates much faster.

 

[milominderbinde]

Once we get Gingerbread then we will be obsessing over Honeycomb...

Once we get Honeycomb then we will be obsessing over Ice Cream.....

Once we get Ice Creame then we will be obsessing over J.

I hope it's Jam!

 

[Gee]

Two problems lie within that...

Then you either force companies to stop using custom overlays and such on Android (which would completely break the open source aspect of Android) or you force companies to release an OS update on an untested customization of your operating system. We can sit here a complain all we want, but when it comes down to it a big reason other devices take so long in getting OS updates is because they are customized versions of the Android platform. That's why stock Android devices (Nexus One, Droid) tend to get these updates much faster.

The biggest reason why Android has gathered so much adoption by OEMs is because they can customize and differentiate their products. They would love to have a in house OS like Apple/Palm but obvously its not easy to make a good one. Open source Android is the next best thing. If Google blocks that, then WP7 starts to look much more interesting because it at least comes with support via the license - and don't forget that Android ISN'T free. You have to have a software team for the overlay and to implement the hardware into Android, then there's legal issues like patents, and I'm pretty sure that there's a very small fee imposed by Google themselves. Locking down Android will not help and will not be done unless they adopt a WM/WP 7 approach.

So what can Google do? Not much. I hate to say it but Android is destined to be fragmented. By both software and hardware, both hurting the overall Android experience. Soon you'll start to see third party stores from both OEMs and carriers trying to steal the attention away from the official Market - developer/app poaching, etc. Skype/Verizon was just a taste of what's to come. Overlays/Skins will become more different, more complex. Soon HTC Sense (other skins, etc.) will look more like a OS of itself, making updating between Sense version x to Sense version y (rather than Android x to Android y) more of a priority to OEMs. This is Android, this is open source. Good for OEMs and carriers, not so good for us.

I just hope that Google makes it a priority to release a new Google supported phone every year. So if we want constant updates and support, at least we can get a Nexus.



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