Should HTC forget about Sense to get updates out faster?

[vertig0730]

With all the launcher options available, should HTC make their launcher "Sense" optional and available from the market?

 

[Bswartz95]

No. That's what leads people to buy an HTC. It's their unique brand. If you don't want Sense, then buy another Android phone.

 

[rentjr]

No. That's what leads people to buy an HTC. It's their unique brand. If you don't want Sense, then buy another Android phone.

Very true, sense is much more than a home replacement. It's completely integrated into the system. Sense is what sets htc apart from all the other android phones.

 

[Frisco]

It's a bit of an intriguing idea, vertig0. But I agree with the above posts saying that Sense is one of the attractive elements to the Eris.

However, having said that... ... I have been using Launcher Pro for two days now and I just might leave it as my default, especially seeing how there are widgets/apps out there that can stand in the place of the stock widgets.

The jury will be out for a whole week of testing.

But if the Eris came with only Home, I would likely have looked around at other devices after seeing the Eris, not yet knowing about the alternative screen apps I could have replaced Home with.

 

[Jmtegra]

I agree with Frisco, Sense makes the eris and other HTC devices.

 

[hookem]

I like Sense and use it, but I like the idea of it being optional.

Have tried other UI's but returned to Sense for the widgets.

 

[Bswartz95]

Sense is already optional. That's the great thing about it.

 

[hookem]

Sense is already optional. That's the great thing about it.

"Optional" as in not preloaded and not an integral part of HTC phones thus requiring their own "special" rewrite of an OS. As the OP put it, "to get updates out faster".

 

[vertig0730]

My main reason for asking is the fact that as the operating system advances Google will want to make the latest versions available to the users as fast as possible. With companies like HTC adding layers to the experience it could slow the overall roll out of updates and features.

If Sense was made available in the market to HTC users they could update it temperately allowing users to chose how to update. Making it more user friendly and customizable.

 

[doogald]

HTC makes the Nexus One and myTouch 3G; Motorola makes the Droid. If you want a phone without Sense, they are available. My guess is that HTC thinks that Sense adds value to their Android phones and has no interest in making it an optional download for those handsets.

 

[flip603]

I think the idea of allowing all the HTC androids to get the new stock upgrades immediately, then download the htc sense ui whens available is a good one. then you get the both of best worlds

 

[Cajun83]

using helix and i like it...

 

[hallstevenson]

Sense is already optional. That's the great thing about it.

No, it's not... Run a different home/launcher than Sense and you'll see that Sense still runs in the background.

 

[jamesmce]

Give us the option, not make it mandatory, I wonder if they're related to microsoft?

 

[Podivin]

Nope, Sense is one of the reason I bought the phone.

 

[OfTheDamned]

The problem is that Sense isn't just a launcher. It is integrated into the OS. If it was just a launcher like the others then the updates would come faster. With Sense there are a lot more customizations behind the scenes (no pun intended) than what you think.

Does it shut down or go away when you use another launcher or home? No, but that is because it can't. The modified apps like people, browser, calendar, dialer, etc. all require Sense to be running in the background so that those aspects of the UI can continue to work.

What would be nice, is if HTC did what Google plans to do with Froyo and Gingerbread. HTC could have Sense divided into different aspects of the UI on the market. They would only be available to HTC customers, obviously, and could be downloaded in pieces when updates are completed. That would solve fragmentation as well as EOL issues. People could update one day and then a week later you would get an update for the dialer or the calendar. This would also make patches much easier as well.

Personally, I really like Sense and I'm not sure if I will buy an Android without it. The only thing that would stop me is if a really amazing feature came out that was going to take forever to be integrated into Sense or couldn't be. Then I would probably buy a vanilla Android and Root it with a Sense type ROM anyway.

 

[Papadroid]

I recently gave my wife my Eris and went to the Droid. The main reason is because my wife loved my Eris. She is not a tech inclined person but felt that the Eris with sense seemed easy to her. She looks at my Moto Droid and thinks it looks confusing. Me on the other hand although I liked sense it just seems to slow the phone down too much, but I don't think they should get rid of it. There are already multiple choices out there and I think it's great. Sense is going to look easier to some and lead them to buy the phone while others may not want it. I know it hinders the updates but 99% of the people who own the Eris are not aware of these facts, nor do they care. They like their phone the way it is.

 

[Houstatlanavegas]

The problem is that Sense isn't just a launcher. It is integrated into the OS. If it was just a launcher like the others then the updates would come faster. With Sense there are a lot more customizations behind the scenes (no pun intended) than what you think.

Does it shut down or go away when you use another launcher or home? No, but that is because it can't. The modified apps like people, browser, calendar, dialer, etc. all require Sense to be running in the background so that those aspects of the UI can continue to work.

What would be nice, is if HTC did what Google plans to do with Froyo and Gingerbread. HTC could have Sense divided into different aspects of the UI on the market. They would only be available to HTC customers, obviously, and could be downloaded in pieces when updates are completed. That would solve fragmentation as well as EOL issues. People could update one day and then a week later you would get an update for the dialer or the calendar. This would also make patches much easier as well.

Personally, I really like Sense and I'm not sure if I will buy an Android without it. The only thing that would stop me is if a really amazing feature came out that was going to take forever to be integrated into Sense or couldn't be. Then I would probably buy a vanilla Android and Root it with a Sense type ROM anyway.

Would 3D be that cool feature?, im just saying that because i saw a piece on CNN about 3D possibly coming to smart phones sometime soon (meaning a year or two) but still. Now im not one for the whole 3D thing, but i do believe that if 3D came to the eris that alot of people would move on to the next phone if Sense took forever intergrating it into their syestem.

Point being, I agree with Vertigo to an extent i believe if Sense hold users back from getting the latest update then, we should probably get another way of doing things considering we do pay $$ for this.

food for thought-

 

[DroidJW]

I like Sense. However as Google continues to develop Android, Sense might lose its value proposition. I tend to be a update junkie (its an addiction that's generally served me well), and I am envious of the enhancements in Froyo(2.2), especially knowing we wont receive it on the Eris.

I can see how some might prefer the ability to immediately install a new Android release immediately, rather than wait for HTC to effect the enhancements to Sense. Those with pure android devices can flash new releases to give them a try (and likely return to prior versions of Android, if the new version is problematic). As phones get more processing horsepower, this will be even more enticing.

 

[byteware]

I like Sense (a lot), but I voted yes... I liked the idea of removing Sense from the OS level and using it as an application. This way, the updates can be pushed out much faster than they currently are.