{"id":76292,"date":"2016-05-23T08:48:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-23T12:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=76292"},"modified":"2016-05-23T08:48:18","modified_gmt":"2016-05-23T12:48:18","slug":"phone-may-never-get-androids-latest-features","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/05\/23\/phone-may-never-get-androids-latest-features\/","title":{"rendered":"Why your phone may never get Android\u2019s latest features"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(ShutterStock image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NEW YORK \u2013 Better graphics and the ability to run two apps side by side are coming to Google\u2019s latest version of Android, dubbed N.<\/p>\n

But chances are good that this free software update announced Wednesday won\u2019t arrive on your Android phone for some time \u2013 if ever. (If you\u2019re an iPhone user, rest easy; none of this affects you.)<\/p>\n

So far, just 7.5 percent of active Android users have last year\u2019s version of Android, called Marshmallow. About a quarter are still on versions from 2012 or earlier.<\/p>\n

For that, people can thank smartphone makers or their wireless carrier \u2013 and maybe both. Last week, two federal agencies asked them to explain why they’re so slow to update Android, as delays mean consumers aren\u2019t getting the latest security improvements.<\/p>\n

They also deprive most Android users of the latest technologies. Marshmallow, for instance, introduced fingerprint sign-ons and other features, but so few people have it that some app makers haven\u2019t bothered to incorporate them. Citibank and Capital One, for instance, now let iPhone users sign into their apps with a touch of their finger; neither bank has brought that to Android yet.<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t an easy fix, either, although there are a few ways you can circumvent the bottleneck.<\/p>\n

Android is not Apple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apple says 84 percent of iPhone users have the latest version of its basic operating software, iOS 9. Apple bypasses wireless carriers and sends updates directly to users. It also designs and manufactures all iPhones and releases just a handful of models at a time.<\/p>\n

Google, by contrast, deals with a variety of chip makers and phone manufacturers , each of which adapts Android to its liking. Many carriers also want to preload their own apps, something Apple forbids on the iPhone.<\/p>\n

All this tweaking and testing takes resources these companies would rather devote to the most recent phones. Android models that are just two years old often won\u2019t make the cut. Apple, by contrast, still supports the 2011 iPhone 4S.<\/p>\n

Streamlining updates… But in small ways<\/strong><\/p>\n

Google has sped things up where it can. An app called Google Play Services now lurks in the background and handles automatic updates for core features such as location, maps and payments. In the past, Google would have had to wait for the phone to get the latest Android update.<\/p>\n

A new feature announced Wednesday, the ability to run Android apps over the Internet without installing them first, will also bypass Android and reach users directly.<\/p>\n

Some phone makers are also bypassing wireless companies this way. HTC now delivers its camera app, lock-screen manager and other features as separate apps.<\/p>\n

But many core functions remain at the mercy of phone makers and wireless carriers. Google introduced a new system Wednesday for getting updates to users automatically, but each update needs to clear the usual hurdles first. And the phone must have the upcoming Android N version \u2013 so back to square one.<\/p>\n

Becoming like apple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outside of phones, Google is exerting more control \u2013 for instance, over Android versions designed for smartwatches and streaming TV devices. Makers of Android watches can customize the software only in limited ways, such as the choice of digital watch faces.<\/p>\n

But this approach has its own drawbacks. Part of Android\u2019s appeal lies in its flexibility. Samsung\u2019s user interface is distinct from those from LG and HTC. Samsung brought fingerprint sensors to phones even before Google made it official with Marshmallow.<\/p>\n

\u201cA big reason for Android\u2019s success is the fact that it\u2019s open and customizable,\u201d says Geoff Blaber, an analyst with the research firm CCS Insight. \u201cGoogle has to be very careful in maintaining a balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

What you can do<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best way to get quick updates is to get a Google-designed Nexus phone. The Nexus models are a showcase for \u201cpure\u201d Android, and they get updates first.<\/p>\n

Motorola, formerly owned by Google, has also emphasized timely updates. It makes as few customizations as possible, though updates can still take a few months.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because Motorola still needs to make thousands of small changes to tune Android for different hardware configurations, says Seang Chau, a senior vice president for software engineering. Otherwise your phone might run slower and chew through its battery faster.<\/p>\n

Unlock android updates<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carriers often gum up the works by baking custom apps, derisively known as \u201cbloatware,\u201d into Android. But they also have to verify that essential features like calling and wireless data work reliably. That means \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 more testing and tweaking.<\/p>\n

You can sidestep all that by getting an \u201cunlocked\u201d phone from manufacturers or retailers. HTC\u2019s Mohammed Versi says that in some cases, updates for these models take a few weeks rather than months.<\/p>\n

Because carriers are phasing out phone discounts with two-year contracts, you won\u2019t pay more for unlocked models. You\u2019ll just usually have to pay the full cost upfront.<\/p>\n

The security threat<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Android universe is getting better about security fixes. Google pledges monthly security releases for its Nexus phones. LG and Samsung have made similar commitments.<\/p>\n

Some carriers waive the usual extensive testing for security updates, Chau says, though some still don\u2019t. He wouldn\u2019t name them. The wireless industry group CTIA says only that carriers are committed to delivering \u201cthoroughly tested\u201d security updates. But it hasn\u2019t committed to any specific time frame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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