Is now the time to buy an Android based phone AT&T?

[bacchus]

Back story: I had an IPhone 3G for about 3 years and it finally broke. Went and got a 10 dollar go phone (ugh) I've been using for about 6 weeks. I have been waiting for the new iphone and the new android os. Now that they are here the iphone just seems like the same ole boring OS although Siri is neat(my wife has one). Obviously the galaxy S2 on at&t would be the way to go if i were to buy an Android right now. My question is will it get ICS FOR SURE? Will ICS still support phones that already have hardware buttons? I'd be willing to wait another few weeks if there is some better handset coming to at&t that anyone knows of. If ICS won't work on the S2 i may go iphone. That's about the only hang up of android i see is that you may not be able to use the latest and greatest OS on your hardware. Good news is i can try a phone for 30 days and swap it out if need be. Any advice? Thanks!

 

[lunatic59]

Welcome to Android Forums!

Unfortunately no one can answer that question for sure. Given the hardware requirements for ICS, everyone is expecting the current generation of phone to be able to run it and there will sure be custom roms for the most popular models, but official releases is never certain, even if promised by the manufacturer.

There's always something better coming down the pike, so buy something you will be happy with for at least 18 months (usually the upgrade cycle on AT&T). I would expect to see the new phones out around Thanksgiving for the Christmas season, but who really knows? Many may be waiting on the final release of ICS to get the new phones out to the consumer.

 

[bacchus]

Thanks for the welcome. Been reading here a bit the last few weeks.

I would wait for the nexus but seems like Europe is getting them first and Verizon. I can't switch carriers so I'm not sure when AT&T will get new Android hardware.

 

[rui-no-onna]

Thanks for the welcome. Been reading here a bit the last few weeks.

I would wait for the nexus but seems like Europe is getting them first and Verizon. I can't switch carriers so I'm not sure when AT&T will get new Android hardware.

Buy the iPhone 4S, sell it and then use the money to buy a factory unlocked GSM version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

 

[bacchus]

Not a half bad idea. Iphone's do hold value...not sure about the android devices. Nexus Prime for at&t would probably be a ways away. Seems like at&t is last to get the new Android devices...i think they put all their eggs in the iphone basket.

 

[No_u]

High chance that the SGSII will get ICS. But on AT&T..? That's a whole different story.

 

[rui-no-onna]

High chance that the SGSII will get ICS. But on AT&T..? That's a whole different story.

If and when that happens, Android 5.0 or maybe even 6.0 will be out.

 

[bacchus]

So Android updates are carrier based as well as the phone maker based?

 

[rui-no-onna]

So Android updates are carrier based as well as the phone maker based?

Bar the line of Google's Nexus phones, yes.