Your thoughts on Google leaving unfinished, buggy Marshmallow & moving on to Nougat?

[J Dubbs]

So what do you guys think about Googles business decision to leave unfinished, buggy Marshmallow and move on to Nougat, which appears to be Marshmallow with the same bugs but a few new features and a new name...presumably to keep consumer interest and sell more devices? Do you think there would have been as much interest in 6.2 with more bugs ironed out and a few new features? Does Nougat even offer enough new to be called a new os?

So how do you guys feel about this approach? Do you think its fine? Do you wish they'd take more time on each os before pumping out a new one? Do you like the new and don't mind a few bugs along the way? Share your opinion, I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this

I'm getting the upgrade to Nougat and I'll be taking it most likely, because from what I've read so far, it's no worse than Marshmallow, which I'm currently running. Maybe that's been Googles plan all along

And Mods, this isn't about strictly Marshmallow or Nougat per say, but a business strategy that Google seems to be developing over their last 4 or 5 operating systems. I find it interesting that Marshmallow is on one of the lower percentages of android devices, and is still being rolled out to many, while Nougat is also coming out. That's a trend that has been developing since KitKat.
Maybe windows xp's 14 year run of satisfied users, who didn't want to change, has freaked Google out as much as it freaked out Microsoft lol

There are some big medical firms in my area that are still running windows xp, among others. I guarantee you there are still some in your area's as well

 

[Aquila]

What are the bugs? Yes to it's different enough to be a new OS, if as long as we're cool with saying 7.0 should be a different OS than 6.0 for reasons that make more sense than calling 4.3 a new OS over 4.2 or 4.1. And to the larger question, Google is still running a young enough system and things are still changing at a wild pace, making drawing lines in the sand with new API levels is a necessary thing. My guess is that'll start to be less of an issue in the next couple of years unless major jumps in AI capabilities arise.

 

[420lyfe]

I agree with OP on this one. Not enough to be called a new OS and it never has been. I mean yes, they are implementing cool new features all the time and changing the themes around. However, we have to be honest with ourselves and admit that the progress with android has not been the greatest as of late. S6/edge had serious issues on 6.0 when I had it. I mean it was just horrible. I currently have multiple Samsung devices and I confide tally say that the they are really lacking when it comes to development and improvement of the operating system in general. It's been the same for quite some time now and it remains to be the same even with the latest N release. I often tend to question what exactly is it that we are getting with these updates? I really do wonder because it's quite odd given that there really isn't enough for an update if that makes sense. It's getting kind of lousy and that can be frustrating sometimes. Of course everyone will have their own opinion on this topic but I felt that I needed to express mine and let everyone know that the OP is right and I happen to agree with him.

 

[Aquila]

Samsung is a bad example to use because they implemented many of the features that came in L, M & N long ago and the official Android versions are just more polished and more universal features being made available to everyone. That said, a huge amount of the features that are included in these updates are not directly user facing, as they are focused on enhancing stability, security, battery life, etc.

 

[LeoRex]

The two best running phone/OS combos I've used in my time are my Nexus 6P running 7.0 and that same phone running 6.0.1 prior to that. Both have been reliable, stable and smooth running. Sure, they aren't issue free, but nothing is.

Version 6.0 wasn't a buggy, incomplete mess... now, what the OEMs did with the 6.0 base code then put on their phones, that is a different story. Once they snag the AOSP source and start their own special stews, all bets are off. If you have a S6 with a buggy OS, or a LG, or Asus... don't automatically point your fingers at Google. OEMs have a lot of freedom on what they modify or 'enhance'. Most of the time, they muck things up a fair amount in the process as they try to re-invent the wheel.

 

[slave]

Don't confuse the mess that Samsuck made with Android with bugs. I am Nexus, have been Nexus, and will always be Nexus (Pixel). I have not seen these bugs you speak of. To answer your question, I love it. I am glad they moved on. You want bug free, leave the skinned versions alone.

 

[Aquila]

Don't confuse the mess that Samsuck made with Android with bugs. I am Nexus, have been Nexus, and will always be Nexus (Pixel). I have not seen these bugs you speak of. To answer your question, I love it. I am glad they moved on. You want bug free, leave the skinned versions alone.

Unfortunately this is true

 

[Tsepz_GP]

Marshmallow is much better than the mess Lollipop was, IMO.

To me, Nougat is Google adding features Samsung has had on TouchWiz since 2012.

 

[tadpoles]

My LG V10 and V20s are not buggy at all (or if they are I don't notice it). The only mild complaint I have is that the V10's battery life with 6.0 is nothing to write home about. Other than that, rock-solid, stable and bug free, so far.