When will Google fix Android's fragmentation?

[LeoRex]

Android is an open system, so there is a limit to what Google can do. The best solution is to just buy products from vendors that have a history of reliable support. Buy Moto or Nexus.

This.

I left Verizon specifically because I wanted a Nexus 5.... The way I see it my carrier is only involved when I'm using the phone's radio to access their network, so the only place they have a say is the SIM card. Outside of that, go pound sand.

 

[Jarhead212]

Ok. With the iPhone 6 I get a nice big screen. Which is something I've always wanted from Apple. Third party keyboards. And hardware that optimizes the software . I don't care if Android did it first, or they stole these ideas from someone else. I have no need to remove the back off my phone. Nor do I have a need for a SD card slot. The App store has more polished apps. When you say features, those things are more for an Android enthusiasts. IMO it comes to a point to where I don't even use have this ****. Does anybody else feel this way.

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[LeoRex]

When you say features, those things are more for an Android enthusiasts.

Why are these mythical "Androind Enthusiasts"? You don't need to be some hacker extraordinaire to want to use 3rd Party keyboards, widgets, custom launchers, etc... millions of users have downloaded these apps.... not some small group of hard cores.

But, and I'm not being dickish when I say this... if you like iPhones so much and think their apps are so much better, get one. But you aren't going to find too many people on an Android forum to agree with you.

 

[JeffDenver]

And hardware that optimizes the software . I don't care if Android did it first, or they stole these ideas from someone else. I have no need to remove the back off my phone. Nor do I have a need for a SD card slot.

Then why did you buy an Android phone? I don't get your point. You like Apple how it is already. Is a larger display really the only reason you're here?

The App store has more polished apps. When you say features, those things are more for an Android enthusiasts. IMO it comes to a point to where I don't even use have this ****. Does anybody else feel this way.

If they did they would probably not be on an Android forum. They'd be on an Apple forum. The GS3 was an awful choice for a phone considering the list of things you care about most. Why did you buy it? If you don't care about the things iOS can't do (and the list is still pretty long), and you can afford to pay their premium, I have no idea why you ever bought an Android phone.

 

[UJ95x]

Ok. With the iPhone 6 I get a nice big screen.

Still not confirmed

 

[Jarhead212]

I guess I asked these questions in the wrong place.

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[ultravisitor]

My point is that will it always have to be like this.

Only if you insist on buying phones with OEM skins.

I don't understand why people who buy OEM-skinned phones complain about updates. If you want timely updates, don't buy a phone with a skin (possible exception being the Verizon Galaxy Nexus). If you buy a phone with a skin, don't complain when it takes forever for your phone to get the update.

Don't want a Nexus or a GPE phone? Then your next best bet is Moto X. Otherwise, again, don't complain.

 

[z33dev33l]

I guess I asked these questions in the wrong place.

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Basically, they won't but few people have any interest in admitting Android's flaws. They don't want to acknowledge that other phones do things that theirs can't.

 

[zorak950]

Wow, this devolved quickly.

 

[JeffDenver]

I guess I asked these questions in the wrong place.

I'm not even sure what the question is. If your question is "why is google not doing things like Apple does", the answer is because it is open and Google does not have the same control that Apple does.

Apple controls all of it's hardware. Google does not control the OEMs who use the Android OS. This is never going to change. If you want an Android experience that is analogous to iOS, you need to buy Nexus devices. If you don't like Nexus, you'll need to buy Apple.

My response was not sarcastic...if you really don't care about the stuff Apple products can't do, and you can afford them, you should buy Apple products. Support is a big part of why they charge a premium price. That is one of their strong points.

Samsung ≠ Android. They are not the same thing. Samsung uses Android as it's base and adds a bunch of other stuff on top of it. Because of this, it is a lot harder to update their phones. Because they have to update all the other stuff every time they update the phone to a new OS. Nexus devices do not add anything on top...they are pure Android. Because of this they can be updated a lot quicker.

 

[JeffDenver]

Basically, they won't but few people have any interest in admitting Android's flaws.

It's not a flaw. The openess is exactly why Android is years ahead of iOS in terms of functionality and features.

It's is of no benefit to HIM, specifically, because he doesn't care about the extra features. That is not true of (IMO) most people.

They don't want to acknowledge that other phones do things that theirs can't.

What does iOS do that Android can't?

 

[z33dev33l]

It's not a flaw. The openess is exactly why Android is years ahead of iOS in terms of functionality and features.

It's is of no benefit to HIM, specifically, because he doesn't care about the extra features. That is not true of (IMO) most people.


What does iOS do that Android can't?

Not suffer from painful fragmentation. I had an old iPhone 4 that worked fine on iOS 7. My favorite part with Android was when arguably the best game on the platform came out and worked on all of like 5 devices... Still does... Just look up Dark Meadows. You guys can argue all you want, I'm not going to get back into that petty crap. All I'm going to say, is Android is just now finally starting to care about the user experience. Maybe with L they will grow a lot but just look at how each time they grow, they become a little bit more closed.

 

[JeffDenver]

Not suffer from painful fragmentation.

Yeah, they all have the same version number, therefore there is no fragmentation, right? LOL

Fragmentation Comes to iOS | Colour Me Amused

The sad truth is that iOS is fragmented...just less so than Android. It will become even more fragmented once Apple enters the Phablet market. Apple does not allow all phones access to all features of a new OS. Even though they have the same version number.

I had an old iPhone 4 that worked fine on iOS 7.

When is it getting iOS8?

Here's a list of iOS7 features that were not on the iPhone 4 - http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/972950 - but it has the same version number, and thats what matters, right?

You guys can argue all you want, I'm not going to get back into that petty crap. All I'm going to say, is Android is just now finally starting to care about the user experience.

I'll take features over "user experience" any day. My phone is not a toy. It's a tool. It doesn't need to be my friend or have a personality or a lifestyle.

So basically, you cannot think of any actual features iOS has that Android does not.

 

[Jarhead212]

Dude we are just talking about phones calm down. I was just trying to get people's thoughts on things.

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[Jarhead212]

Sorry if I confused anyone. That was not my intention.

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[zorak950]

It is true that iOS cheats a bit with version numbers. Devices get updated, but features are dropped for older hardware so it's the same version number, but not the same software. Sometimes this is for hardware reasons (like the fingerprint scanner) but sometimes it seems to be just because they want people to buy a new device.

z33 makes a good point about Android sacrificing openness for user experience improvement, but at the same time Apple is becoming more open. The two platforms seem to be converging on a middle ground.

 

[Jarhead212]

I've had my ga3 since it came out. I run nova launcher prime on it. I am familiar with what a custom rom can do for me. I am not ignorant of the subject. I got the phone because it was different at the time from everything else. As time went on I realized that I don't need most of the features Android offers. I realize Android has more features. I know that most Android phones on the market are more powerful than the current iphone . I hope this clears things up. Again sorry for the confusion.

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[zorak950]

The iPhone is awesome. If you're considering a platform switch, look at Windows Phone, too. They have some sexy devices, and I like the interface. My biggest criticism of WP is the weak third-party support.

 

[Jarhead212]

Will do.

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[z33dev33l]

Will do.

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And we have arguably the best updates. My budget end, $50 Lumia 520? It got pretty much all the features that my 1520 did.

It really annoyed me that to play Dark Meadows you had to buy one of like 3-4 different phones and I haven't seen a better game on Android since.