Originally Posted by
N_LaRUE My point wasn't about durability of smartphones but the 'longevity' of the device from a hardware/software perspective.
Let's take the Pixel for example. It's got an end of life cycle for 2018. Think about that for a moment. Here's a device, considered best ever Android phone but the device will only have two OS updates and possibly three years security patches.
Why is the technology of that phone so poor that it can't last past 2018? I'm a little dumbfounded by that.
I can appreciate people wanting something new. I can get the fact that newer devices are generally 'better' but I'm having a hard time believing that a phone is only good for two years. This is my issue.
Android is still driven by the mantra of rapid hardware expansion. OEMs still find it more practical from a business model (for maximizing profits)to focus resources on creating the next product than maintaining current model optimally...maintaining a phone you've sold means that you don't get that customer next year as a new buyer.
Plus, most OEMs do not control directly how Android software is made, unlike ye old fruit stand. Apple gets a cut from the consumer when you buy the hardware, as that's the gateway to the most important part of their business - software in the form of apps. They also get about 30% (this figure may have been lowered to 20-25%) of revenue of each paid app.
So the Android OEMs see this and want this, but on Android you can only do this by building your ecosystem on top of Google software (aka bloat from the consumer end in the form of skins and value added apps). Or you go the uber hardware route by either building super compelling hardware from deep pockets (Samsung) or running on razor thin margins (Xiaomi).
Truth is, the good Android phones since 2014 (excluding to some degree 2015 as Qualcomm screwed everyone with those chips) are capable of over two years worth support and use. My favorite example is my Z3 Tablet Compact, which is nearly three years old but runs great...and you could theoretically get another two years from (battery degradation excluded) with 7.0 due to multi-purpose to maximize screen real estate. You can blame the switch from 32-bit to 64-bit in 2015, but up to this year Google was supporting the Android Market app for ancient models. Google also found a way to get 7.0 on the Nexus 6, while the Moto Maxx which runs the exact internal base hardware is stuck on 6.0.1.
So Android OEMs make hardware for it to be the next big hit and fully useful for today like the old featured phones of yesteryear...if it is a hit, it is more likely to get support consistently. If it flops, it is easier to bury. At least with Apple, while the softeare runs slower on plder hardware with each update, they have their hands in your pocket software wise so they still rack in the $$$.
libra89 likes this.07-06-2017 08:34 AM
