Are you sick of VZW lying to us? Don't we deserve 2.1 by now?
If you are/do, then shut up and read this:
I JUST BOUGHT A NEW ANDROID BASED PHONE AND ITS ALREADY A YEAR OLD?
Posted by Joseph Swipes on 17th March 2010
This is a normal question that some of us will ask ourselves when we start to use our new Android based phone. More specifically, why is my new phone running an operating system that is a year or more old and does not have the latest functionality and in more recent cases, why can’t I install certain applications?
So here’s my take, and opinions on what happens, how we should deal with it.
We’ll, let’s break down the answer into components:
Multiple handsets, multiple manufacturers – Google provides a working operating system. The device manufacturer has to configure the operating system to work with each handset. This is time consuming. I am told that the process takes 3 to 4 months for each new operating system version release and at the rate that Google releases operating new operating system updates, it does not make too much sense from a time and economic perspective to pretty much continuously update new operating systems to accommodate mature handsets.
Competing product offerings by the same manufacturer – Let’s face it. When it comes to electronics or more broadly technology, most people want the latest and greatest. If the Mytouch did everything that the Nexus One could do (except for clocking at faster speeds), than what incentive would most people have to buy the Nexus One over the Mytouch? Remember the iPhone 3G’s launch was a non-event for this reason. Handset makers are reluctant to update operating systems to avoid cheaper, older handsets competing with latest and greatest handsets.
Over the airwaves (OTA) update deployments – Currently, the only way for users to update their operating system (unless your phone is rooted) – is for the carrier to push the new operating system to you over the airwaves. There is not much incentive for the carriers to do this and it costs time, resources, and money to deploy updates and they get nothing in return. Remember, your phone does work even though its not the latest and greatest and remember, most of their customers are tied to a contract in the U.S. and the phone was subsidized by the carrier, so you are already locked into using their service, and existing handset unless you want to break your contract and incur early termination fees.
With all this being said, I think the way to solve this problem is as follows:
Google needs to deploy an operating system update mechanism easily accessible and easy to use by most people like the update functionality in iTunes and insist that hardware manufacturers turn over their driver information (code that allows the hardware to talk to the operating system and visa versa) so that third party developers could create fully functional versions of the latest operating systems for all android based devices. I mean the operating system is open source but the handset is not?
We need free access to driver information and technology in order for us to truly own our handsets and do what we want with them. The Android operating system was the big win for us free society consumers but not a complete solution to use our handset as we’d like to, when we’d like to.
Accces to driver information and an easy to use update mechanism would keep existing carrier customers happy that they have the latest functionality on their handset, keep existing handset owners happy with the Android platform and continue to embrace it the long run, and it would help to maintain handset brand loyalty as the handset owners experience would remain positive over the life of the device and the update as you like approch is consistent with their primary competitor which right now is Apple which allows multiple handsets to be updated with their latest operating systems.
Us Android based handset owners have an effective relationship with our operating system provider. We now need to establish (demand really) a similar relationship with our handset manufacturer in order for us to be in total control of our devices. I think the way to achieve this relationship is for consumers to become educated and buy only handsets like the Nexus One, that are truly open (don’t forget bootloader/carrier unlocked).
Google is not going to advertise or speak openly about this subject because it sours (ruins) their relationship with handset manufacturers which right now is their primary distribution source. It is up to us, the Android community, to actively promote handsets like the Nexus One and to educate handset owners who own “closed” handsets to convert to open handsets and refuse to buy closed handsets in the future.
If we, the Android community, can create this open handset movement and it creates a consumer shift to open handsets we, as the consumers, are in control and we as the handset owner wins. Game over get out of my office wins!
My initial response is to ask the question: "If you know it's already a year old, then why buy it?" Choose something else if you want the latest and greatest device.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bswartz95 For This Useful Post:
Money was a factor in my case. My parents could afford the Droid, no doubt, but both of them use dinky LG phones that were probably free from US Cellular. I figured I'd spoil myself, moving up from an LG EnV for two years and get a smart phone, but $199 was not worth it, at all. Or $150 after rebates. My Eris was $50 after rebate, which was cheaper than what my EnV was. The data plan was killer, but I wanted a smart phone so bad and my parents let me.
I knew what I was getting into getting a rebadged Hero, but it truly is a Lexus to the Hero's Toyota, sticking with the rebadging analogy. It looks better and it was a bargain buy. The thing is, the Hero is STILL more expensive than the Eris. Not sure why.
People think fragmentation of the OSs, different screen sizes, etc. will be the demise of Android. Right. And having your phones in uniform shapes and colors, high-stepping with their hands raised chanting "Mein Fuhrer" to Steve Jobs is THE way to go.
It'll take some time. I like the diversity of Android devices. No two are exactly the same. You can make a case for getting each and everyone of them, whether it be financial reasons or aesthetics. Or OS version.
I have to assume that either HTC wasn't expecting to have to make a major change to Sense with 2.1 (and so didn't ask for a preview build of 2.1 to dink around with on the Eris ahead of time) OR (more likely), Verizon either wouldn't commit to, or initially refused to, distribute 2.1 on Eris - either because they wanted to move more "high-end" Droid phones, or because of the cost involved (presumably Sense has to be customized for each phone and someone has to pay for the work).
In either event, HTC got a late jump on 2.1 for Eris, and with three parties involved with doing something like this for the first time, wound up way behind the ball.
So, the experience with 1.5 to 2.1 isn't a huge hit to my confidence in this area - but if this is what happens every time, I'll have to decide whether Sense is worth the hassle.
Do we really even have anything verifiable from Verizon that confirms this is even coming? All I've ever seen is various websites quoting unnamed sources that this is coming. Supposedly HTC posted it on Twitter but that can be easily spoofed.
I just became a fan of the HTC Droid Eris Facebook page and was particularly interested to see there that the CEO of HTC himself said the Eris would get 2.1. Perhaps I missed it before, if it was posted around here.
Given the very recent announcement of the Motorola Droid's update to 2.1, I think we're just dealing with PR spin in a new way. How could Verizon release 2.1 to the cheaper Android phone before they officially updated the higher-end phone they spent so much money advertising? I'm more hopeful than ever that we'll see an OTA 2.1 soonish. Prospects for root after that... I'm torn.
And for the record, I have two kids. Still find time to ponder these things and attempt to keep up with developments. At this point, though, I certainly don't feel anyone's lied to me or betrayed me.
Do we really even have anything verifiable from Verizon that confirms this is even coming? All I've ever seen is various websites quoting unnamed sources that this is coming. Supposedly HTC posted it on Twitter but that can be easily spoofed.
Yes, it has been confirmed. We would know by now if it was a spoof because HTC would have came out and said they were hacked. Or something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fungalMonk
I just became a fan of the HTC Droid Eris Facebook page and was particularly interested to see there that the CEO of HTC himself said the Eris would get 2.1. Perhaps I missed it before, if it was posted around here.
Given the very recent announcement of the Motorola Droid's update to 2.1, I think we're just dealing with PR spin in a new way. How could Verizon release 2.1 to the cheaper Android phone before they officially updated the higher-end phone they spent so much money advertising? I'm more hopeful than ever that we'll see an OTA 2.1 soonish. Prospects for root after that... I'm torn.
And for the record, I have two kids. Still find time to ponder these things and attempt to keep up with developments. At this point, though, I certainly don't feel anyone's lied to me or betrayed me.
I don't think hrbib has ever posted anything that didn't have the tone of "most people have other things to worry about like kids, jobs, car payments, etc."
I told him (or may be another member that felt having a job and a family was an honor; it's essentially a societal norm...hooray, you graduated high school, whoop de doo, you're out of college, oh you're hitting 30, go get married) that most of us on here do care about phones and that's why we come here. Coming on here solely for the purpose of telling us how busy you are means you probably aren't all that busy.
It's a stupid practice that detracts from the thread. There are other forums on the internet where you can whine about your middle-life woes. This is not the place.
About your actual post, you're right. VZW would make it so that those that paid extra for the Droid, the flagship phone, got the update earlier. Not that VZW totally cares about their customers, but the little they do, they're doing this one thing for Droid-owners. We'll have it soon. I think it'll be sometime in April. Unless they surprise us and send it out the week after the Droid, which would, oddly, fall in line for just before Q1 ends, which is when it was suggested.
The Following User Says Thank You to smacky For This Useful Post:
Yes, it has been confirmed. We would know by now if it was a spoof because HTC would have came out and said they were hacked. Or something.
And can't forget we have these leaked ROMs... Clearly work has been done to get the OS update working on our phones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smacky
I don't think hrbib has ever posted anything that didn't have the tone of "most people have other things to worry about like kids, jobs, car payments, etc."
I told him (or may be another member that felt having a job and a family was an honor; it's essentially a societal norm...hooray, you graduated high school, whoop de doo, you're out of college, oh you're hitting 30, go get married) that most of us on here do care about phones and that's why we come here. Coming on here solely for the purpose of telling us how busy you are means you probably aren't all that busy.
It's a stupid practice that detracts from the thread. There are other forums on the internet where you can whine about your middle-life woes. This is not the place.
About your actual post, you're right. VZW would make it so that those that paid extra for the Droid, the flagship phone, got the update earlier. Not that VZW totally cares about their customers, but the little they do, they're doing this one thing for Droid-owners. We'll have it soon. I think it'll be sometime in April. Unless they surprise us and send it out the week after the Droid, which would, oddly, fall in line for just before Q1 ends, which is when it was suggested.
Yeah, it's where I can understand a megacorp's take on obligations, somehow. If the end of Q1 passes and we've had no feedback at all from Verizon about our forthcoming update, I'll begin to question, but I really can't complain about my experience with Verizon in the past, and can't complain yet when it comes to this kind of issue.
All I still know is from experience with either Verizon Android phone in question, and I was turned off by the Moto Droid in general. I haven't even been intrigued enough to want to play with a Droid. One coworker had the Eris, and by golly, I asked him I could check it out. Upgraded to the Eris for perhaps the most satisfying geek Valentine's Day presents ever for my wife and me.
There's even a touch of Final Fantasy VII reminiscence involved, I suspect. Aeris died, but this Eris lives and still continues to impress me, even without updates, and it was the Eris-having coworker saying he got an "(A)Eris" that actually did intrigue me, as I didn't know how it was spelled... Aeris lives after all...? Hail, Eris!
"Unnamed sources quoted" has not been the case, in Android forums here, there and everywhere.
One name that comes up is Verizon rep Brenda Raney. She is quoted several times over a period of months in 2009. One of her remarks reported at phonearena.com (which has been posted here before):
"Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney said, "The Droid Eris currently using Android 1.5, can and will be upgraded to newer a Android operating system software in first quarter 2010. The enhancement will allow customers to continue to enjoy the powerful HTC Sense experience while also gaining the additional benefits of Google Maps Navigation."
The "first quarter of 2010" ends on the 31st of March. It's only the 18th of March in my hemisphere.
One misleading problem is that the sites and blogs that report these quotes seem to need to marble it all in with a lot of speculation on their part and rumors they concoct unilaterally; that does not help, they should just leave the quotes as-is and knock off the rumor mongering, in my opinion.
Device(s): Galaxy Nexus-AOKP w/ LeanKernel
Kindle Fire
Transformer Prime
Thanks: 288
Thanked 260 Times in 189 Posts
I picked this phone because my ex had an upgrade while I was not due for one. She wanted the Droid so I got that one and the Eris came free. I had to open a line for my sons to use an old cell phone to get this...I was that desperate to get away from the Omnia. This was a free phone so I was jealous of the Droid but I took it. Since then, I really fell in love with the size and features of the Eris over the Droid. Sense is very clean and having hard keys for dialing and hanging up are a big deal. I was messing with my girlfriends Droid the other day and accidentally dialed a number. I could not figure out how to hang it up for the life of me. No thanks on that phone!
As for lies. There are real people out there who are really testing the 2.1 Sense software for the Eris. They know that it is about to be released though they are under agreement and can't tell exactly when. We have the leaked version because a tester decided to send it our way.
Yeah, I am pretty pissed with Verizon right now for lying to me. They told me that Android users were far less bitchy and whiny than WinMo, Palm and BlackBerry users.
"Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney said, "The Droid Eris currently using Android 1.5, can and will be upgraded to newer a Android operating system software in first quarter 2010. The enhancement will allow customers to continue to enjoy the powerful HTC Sense experience while also gaining the additional benefits of Google Maps Navigation."
And that is the only official statement by Verizon that I know of. The rest is just internet chatter - including the OP's accusations of VZW lies. Come on, Android is the best thing to happen to cell phones since the iPhone and it's giving Apple a run for their money. The Eris is a great Android phone and VZW has handled the product in a very responsible manner.
Even if they don't make a Q1 rollout of 2.1, it doesn't mean they lied. If you've ever worked in the tech industry, especially software dev, things pop up. Delay's aren't there to frustrate clients, they're there to make sure the product is the best possible. Relax.
The Following User Says Thank You to lessit For This Useful Post:
Either it's ready or it's not ready. If it's ready then why wait until the very last day to release it? If it's not ready then why make an announcement it was?
I just don't know why they would wait to release something that is ready to be released. They could at least make it available for download so people can do a manual flash.
Smells fishy to me at least. I just hope they don't release something that isn't ready to be released. Just tell us it's not ready for release yet.
Either it's ready or it's not ready. If it's ready then why wait until the very last day to release it? If it's not ready then why make an announcement it was?
Because they didn't make an announcement that it was ready. "The very last day to release it" - hmm, that's like saying i found something in the last place I looked.
Why is it so hard for people to understand that VZW made an announcement of their intentions to release an upgrade in Q1. Everyone knows that it's still Q1 and that unforseen problems could change their anticipated schedule.
Device(s): Galaxy Nexus-AOKP w/ LeanKernel
Kindle Fire
Transformer Prime
Thanks: 288
Thanked 260 Times in 189 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Droidcula
Either it's ready or it's not ready. If it's ready then why wait until the very last day to release it? If it's not ready then why make an announcement it was?
I just don't know why they would wait to release something that is ready to be released. They could at least make it available for download so people can do a manual flash.
Smells fishy to me at least. I just hope they don't release something that isn't ready to be released. Just tell us it's not ready for release yet.
It is not ready for release or they would have done so. As posted above...they told us Q1...Q1 still has several days left in it. Sucks to get it at the end of Q1 but there was no other promise.
As for official announcements...HTC also officially announced availability of 2.1 to the Hero/Eris at MWC.
Anyone remember Microsoft's 5 year delay in getting the next OS out?
One last thing...when they announced Q1, I don't think they were talking to the very few who come in here and refresh constantly to see if there has been an update each and every day. There are a few of us but most have no freaking clue that there is any update lined up. They will be as surprised as ever and really don't give a damn one way or the other anyway. It's not as if they are saying, "Our forum followers are getting really antsy here. Better hurry up!" Verizon realizes that if they miss the Q1 end date by a week or so, 96% of all Eris users will not know the difference.
One last thing...when they announced Q1, I don't think they were talking to the very few who come in here and refresh constantly to see if there has been an update each and every day. There are a few of us but most have no freaking clue that there is any update lined up. They will be as surprised as ever and really don't give a damn one way or the other anyway. It's not as if they are saying, "Our forum followers are getting really antsy here. Better hurry up!" Verizon realizes that if they miss the Q1 end date by a week or so, 96% of all Eris users will not know the difference.
Yep, I've actually shown some of the 2.1 features to a few people that have an Eris and many of them just yawn and say, "Oh ok, that will be nice." Nobody is really all that excited about it, but us. I remember seeing a post on another forum where a guy was talking about just registering even though he bought his phone on day one. Another guy responded with total shock that he waiting so long to join the forum and talk about his phone. lol Most people don't join discussion forums unless they have a problem or just can't figure something out. The average cell user pays zero attention to forums and update time lines. We may see them as complete nut cases, but as others have said, "There are more important things in the world" for them.
@VZWOffers New Android 2.1 for the Driod... when will this happen for the Droid Eris? I thought it was supposed to come in the 1st quarter? From nikimae @ Twitter
My initial response is to ask the question: "If you know it's already a year old, then why buy it?" Choose something else if you want the latest and greatest device.
You put it perfectly!
The bottom line is do some research and be informed before you get a new phone!
If you went out and got an Eris and thought at any point in time that this would be the latest and greatest tech that was coming out, you obviously didnt research at all!
It came out with a smaller CPU, Screen, and older Android Version, none of these things say to me, "Best Phone"!
Its a nice little device, and can do some cool stuff, but is essentially an HTC afterthought.
With the Nexus One and HTC Incredible coming to Verizon, with the Moto Droid still there, you can just upgrade
Snapdragon Time!
One thing I've been wondering is if the OTA has to be accepted when the notification comes to the phone.
Ideally I'd like to choose whether or not to even accept it at all, but I doubt of that's an option.
The next choice I'd like to have is to at least wait for a week or so to see how others with 1.5 getting the 2.x OTA are doing.. bugs and fixes, etc.
I swear I read somewhere on here that you could hold off on doing it, but it would just keep bugging you about it. But that's another good point...bugs and fixes, etc.
I'm super pumped for 2.1, but I don't think Verizon or Google or HTC owes us anything. They are not obligated in any way to upgrade our phones (other than fix bugs). When you buy a PC with Windows XP on it, is the manufacturer required to upgrade you to Windows 7 for free? Hell no. You get what you get when you buy the phone, beyond that, if you want new stuff, buy a new phone. We should be very thankful we're getting a significant OS update at all, no matter how long it takes.
__________________
If this post sounds "jerky", I'm sorry. I come off that way most of the time.
You're going a little overboard now, don't ya think?
No.
Even if it's, "yes, I'm going overboard," that's ok, too. Everybody does that about some things.
There is a method to my madness; I am coming to a decision as to whether or not to keep the Eris or move on to another device if the update turns out to have some of the negative effects on the phone as I have seen posted repeatedly in here and at other forums.
Having some time to regard the experiences of others with the OTA will aid me in my decision.
I am coming to a decision as to whether or not to keep the Eris or move on to another device if the update turns out to have some of the negative effects on the phone as I have seen posted repeatedly in here and at other forums.
Couldn't you move to another device even if you have 2.1? Don't you think that you should have your own experiences rather than rely on others'?
Last edited by bjanow; March 18th, 2010 at 12:18 PM.
Release dates do get missed, you know. Committing to a date before the work has been done (especially for something that involves coordinating the activities of three companies to do something for the first time), is not an exact science. Verizon has to walk a fine line between providing as much information as possible to satisfy their customers (who can easily go somewhere else if they feel dissatisfied), and not over-promising.
If April 1 rolls around and I still have 1.5, I am going to feel bummed - not betrayed. I'd rather get a relatively defect-free product than see something rushed just so a "promise" can be kept.
If I don't have a feeling that we're getting close to an OTA by then, I may consider moving to a different device - but I won't blame HTC or Verizon.
By the way, when most of us made the decision to buy the Eris, wasn't the overall impression that the OS would not be upgraded? I don't think this gives Verizon and HTC free reign to fail to deliver 2.1 once they decided to release it to the Eris, but I think it's worth remembering that nothing that is happening now violates the original information that we used to decide to purchase this device.
Yeah, I am pretty pissed with Verizon right now for lying to me. They told me that Android users were far less bitchy and whiny than WinMo, Palm and BlackBerry users.
THIS LYING HAS TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ouch...kill the caps...I'm still hungover from yesterday and you're shouting.
Right, I understand that. I just mean before they said anything. But yeah, once they tell us we're gonna get it, they pretty much have to. But I still don't think Verizon has ever officially announced that we're getting it, no matter what HTC says. Can anyone produce a link or document from Verizon that announces this and gives a time frame. I'm aware of HTC's twitter announcement and stuff like that.
Couldn't you move to another device even if you have 2.1? Don't you think that you should have your own experiences rather than rely on others'?
Rely on others for what? What are you talking about?
The bottom line, which I've repeated around the forums, is that 1.5 works fine for me and was the reason I went with the Eris. I like the Eris. I like it as it is. I don't know how to make it more clear; I have been posting these sentiments for three month now in here. One more time:
I like the Eris as it is.
I text, I make calls, I browse the internet, I check the weather, I take pictures, etc. All with no bugs and only one annoyance I can think of and that's the goofy character count placed in the text field blocking some of the text there.
I see no need for this update for my phone. And, to repeat again, if it is as buggy as the leak is, I'm getting another device.
Oh, in case I forgot to mention; I like the Eris as it is.
Rely on others for what? What are you talking about?
Calm down, I'm not attacking you. But from your previous post:
"Having some time to regard the experiences of others with the OTA will aid me in my decision."
What is not clear about that? You are relying on others' experience to aid or make your decision. All I suggested is you make your own judgments, that's all. In other posts of yours you said you were itching to go to 2.1 but wanted to wait. Other posts, if I recall correctly, you said if we didn't get OTA by the 1st you would seriously consider upgrading to the leak. Now you emphatically, if not almost viciously, say how you like your Eris 1.5 or something like that. I actually stopped reading the rant after a certain point, it was kind of disturbing.
Everybody in these forums is here to "regard the experiences of others," whether to answer a query or to get a take on other people's usage of the device.
Generally, that is what device related forums are for.
I will not (intentionally) wreck my phone if I see, by regarding the experiences of others, that an OTA does something like that.
There is disagreement here about the leaked 2.1, many are fine with the bugs and some even say they have none; then we see some of those same people posting a problem that they say they now have to live with and everything else is ok.
I have no such problems with 1.5.
Last edited by Frisco; March 18th, 2010 at 02:14 PM.
Yeah, I am pretty pissed with Verizon right now for lying to me. They told me that Android users were far less bitchy and whiny than WinMo, Palm and BlackBerry users.
The HTC Droid Eris launched for Verizon Wireless on November 6th in part as the carrier's first Android Phone. However it was overshadowed by the other member of the inaugural Verizon Droid duo - the Motorola Droid. The Droid Eris might look fa... Read More
Are you sick of VZW lying to us? Don't we deserve 2.1 by now?
instead of a retort.
