Quote from: wolfscape on October 01, 2018, 11:35:42
The author has no clue. Comparing Android fragmentation to the closed ecosystem of Apple is laughable. The reason for mas delivery of an up to date IOS version is that apple controls all the hardware and software. They know what hardware their software will be implemented on in all instances. Google does not control hardware releases for SAMSUNG, LG, etc... So mass deployment cant happen. I have the Google Pixel 2 XL with Pie running since its release so I'm not trying to come to the aid of apple but please read your own article before you publish.
Ah, article author here. Thanks for reading and taking time out to actually write a thoughtful comment.
Sadly, I don't agree with most of what you've said.
Let's establish a few facts here first.
1. OEMs have had Pie builds for months. The first Developer Preview was released in March, and it stands to reason that major OEMs already got builds even before that.
2. A number of OEMs have actually provided stable Pie updates. Essential, for example, sent out the Pie OTA on the same day it was launched. IT IS DOABLE.
3. All relevant devices--that one would expect to get a Pie update around now--launched with Android Oreo and have Treble support.
I like to think the above three points are indubitable, no?
Why, then, is the Pie distribution still so low? Going by the data, there are literally more users on Gingerbread than there are on Pie. You know, Gingerbread, the seven-year-old version of Android? In what world is that even remotely acceptable?
No one is saying all Androids should have gotten the Pie update by now. That'd be stupid. But surely more devices should have? If OnePlus could have Pie available for the OnePlus 6 weeks after it (Pie) was released, what stops bigger companies like Samsung and Huawei from doing the same? Keep in mind that they--within all reason--should have been working on an update for months.
And nowhere in that article was it said that iOS and Android should have similar update distributions.
"In juxtaposition, iOS 12 has made its way to all iPhone models released in the last five years.
Of course, the fact that the list of relevant iPhones contains just over a dozen devices helps."
If Apple can develop and send out timely updates to 14 devices, Android OEMs have no excuse for not being able to do the same for one or two flagships.
Plus there's Treble that makes the whole development process easier...
Maybe you shouldn't support mediocrity.