By I know, I know, many of you want to cry out, “But I still haven’t received 2.1!” Take this all as conjecture, but Android and Me has an intriguing analytics report suggesting test builds of Android 2.2 (Froyo) are in the wild. No one can say for sure when and how 2.2 will be released to the masses, but May’s Google I/O conference may be the place that it gets into the hands of developers.
Could this be the rumored OTA update for the Nexus One? It is definitely possible, and if Google wanted to debut the new version of the OS what better place than on their very own phone, but too little is known at this time to make any firm predictions. The exact feature-set of Froyo isn’t clear yet either, but aspects rumored to be included are Flash 10.1, freeing up additional RAM, and enabling FM radio.
If 2.2 does show up before summer, the big handset releases of the season will drop on to a market where they no longer have the latest version of the OS, meaning a whole new group of Android owners waiting for (inevitably delayed) OTA updates. If Google really wants to get a handle on the fragmentation issue, it is a main reason why I could see Android 2.2 having a release much later in the year.
[via Android and Me]
Google will be doing themselves no favours if they release it. Yes 2.2 will be in the wild, Dog fooding.
But we are starting to see the Android platform bulging with problems in a number of areas.
I reckon there will be some special announcements at Google IO and perhaps they will show off some cool 2.2 features, but for the sake of fragmentation, they have got to cool off their jets with the number of releases.
It would be cool for 2.2 to be released but this fragmentation is going to become a really big issue sooner instead of later. A lot of phones are STILL at 1.5 — somewhat new phones too — and other phones are at 1.6. I want to say about 60% of the market is still at 1.6 or lower.
2.2 would be nice but I’d suggest instead of spending time on Android OS development that Google throws some cycles at the carriers to help them figure out how to upgrade things in a more timely manner.
2.2 will fix fragmentation, the sooner the better, there is always going to be fragmentation until 2.2 is out if that even fixes it, we have x10’s releasing with 1.6 phones still on 1.5 getting 2.1 4 phones now??? almost 5 then 6 released with 2.1… with 2.2 all updates are through the market from that point on… let’s get there so the software engineers can stop worrying about “well what if they release another version after this” and continue to debate whether or not to even update at all… let’s get 2.2 out, then catch everyone up and then updates through the market so no more fragmentation on this scale…
What Google needs to do is stop releasing new versions of Android so quickly. Manufacturers aren’t able to keep up with the latest release and still introduce hardware thats been tested with it. Google would also do well to take a page from Microsofts new playbook and dictate hardware requirements for phones running the OS.
yawn. After the build-up for 2.1, the delays and then having very little to show for it I refuse to get even the least bit interested in 2.2.
2.2 would be nice…. Sell my old phone and get a new one every 6 months hehe
2.1 seems to be more of a problem than a solution, so I guess 2.2 is the bug fixes for 2.1!
I want my Froyo!!!
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Haha…had to say it :)
I have no issues with google releasing 2.2 on there phone. its there phone!they can do what they want.but dont start giving it out to the masses until everything is worked out.
They keep having to push releases because it is still fairly new and buggy. Until they get a more stable, relatively long lived version of the OS it’s gonna remain messy. It makes it messy for the App store, the users, and the carriers.
I know, I know, it works fine, but it is still buggy; enough so that its users are still demanding these updates. I mean, why are Android users not satisfied with their software builds? Is it because they’re all geeks and like to be on the cutting edge? Well that’s not true any longer. Mainstream users are driving these updates.
Engadget had an exclusive story on how Froyo was supposed to fix fragmentation. Specifically they will be using the market to push updates whenever possible (like they currently do with Maps). In addition, Android is getting close to being feature complete, meaning updates will start to slow down and more focus will be put on fit and finish. HTC’s new phones are supposed to have some new update mechanism in place that will help facilitate easier system updates (my guess is a tethered sync option in addition to OTA).
I think Froyo is a turning point on the fragmentation issue. As the last gen crop of phones either die out or get upgraded, fragmentation will be a much smaller problem than it is now.
No let them release Froyo right away. If it is true about how they will make Froyo so that updates can be done easily in small parts, so that it will not affect manufacturer’s own UI customizations, then bring it out asap and it will solve the fragmentation problem and be good for all.
In my limited knowledge in the matter I would bet that there are really only one or two phones not capable of handling these updates. People with these phones should be offered special pricing on newer phones. The cost of making this offer should be eaten in equal parts by Google and the carriers. This would allow a quicker resolve to the fragmentation issue and less of a punishment for those early adopters that where braver then myself when Android was introduced.
Well it’s not Google’s fault that the manufactures are too busy with motoblur and what not. I blame the manufactures, not Google.
OMG….LIKE OMG!!! GOTTA HAZ FROYO!!!! J/K
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I agree that releasing it soon won’t do them any favors IF they do not for once try to coordinate this with the major players. Work with HTC and Moto to get it updated in Sense and Blur for example. Now I understand that after this release and a fix in the next one that we’ll see updates in apps via the market and the big updates once a year. But if they don’t do this one right its going to piss alot of people off.
Some of you people saying Google should stop updating Android or releasing new versions make me wonder what you prefer instead:
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1. Google should let Android development stagnate.
2. Google should secretly release updates to the major vendors then wait until they are ALL up to spec before announcing to us commoners that there is an update.
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Both are absurd. Google should continue to develop Android and announce the releases publicly. One alternative is they could work more on backwards compatibility, but then you’re going to get another mess like Windows. But to say that they should slow development or wait for manufacturers to catch up is crazy, considering that some of them are still stuck on 1.5. Then you might as well hand the smart phone crown to Apple.
I really hope that Google does release it to the Nexus One. From the time it came out, almost everyone who bought the phone paid full price so that they could have not only the newest Android phone, but also a phone directly from Google. It was understood that when Google released a new OS, the Nexus would be one of, if not the first Android phone to get updates.
I get tired of all the Droid fans crying about expecting an update when they got their phone for a lot less then I paid for mine and still expect the same time table for updates. If you wanted the newest OS, buy yourself a Nexus from Google. I am sorry if its not offered on your network yet (Verizon & Sprint), but those Droid people can be happy they got a phone for less, with a more powerful network sooner then those who got the Nexus. For some perks (Network), you give up other perks (Immediate upgrades).
Besides; As other people have posted, Froyo is supposed to help solve the fragmentation issues. The sooner that gets out, the sooner everyone is happy.
I don’t care about “fragmentation”. Keep the new OS versions coming. I buy a new Android phone every 6 months to one year.
Most people don’t buy a new phone every time the next doodad comes out.
People also don’t like buying a new phone that comes with old software.
Hopefully the Verizon Nexus One will come with 2.2 to make it a viable alternative to the HTC Incredible.
Google should, and will, continue Android development. Fragmentation is only a problem for app developers (not to brush it off, because that is a valid concern). Next, is tech-geeks (like me) who are constantly at sites like this.
Last, you have 98.5% of the US/world population, who don’t even know that their Motorola RAZR V3 is still using firmware from 2005. All they know is that it works most of the time. These people are happy with the software that came on their phone when they bought it, and don’t even know that they have to upgrade in the first place.
Google knows this, and so takes a deliberate stance on continuing to iterate. I’ll get a new phone every year, probably, so I’ll keep up.
I just want to see someone fix the BT stack so that it becomes possible to have a truly handsfree experience on an Android platform.
Froyo lets go… It should fix fragmentation.
I’m not at all looking forward to Flash 10 for Android. It’s going to significantly slow down the browser.
Take Chrome for example, it’s so fast on its own, but as soon as you load up a flash page, that speed and low memory claims Chrome have go away and the browser becomes slow (and at worst some of your Chrome.exe processes that are really flash processes crash in the background on Windows).
Hopfully Flash 10 will prove me wrong…
This makes G1 owners too much backwards. Long live Android for making the version different and covering most customers.
If Android fails, it is due to the various versions!!! God bless Google….
Am I the only one to notice that all the names of android are foods ex. cupcake, donut, vanilla, and of course froyo feel like I’m missing one though, whatever u catch my drift
#22
you forgot eclair
=))
I really don’t understand all the consternation about fragmentation. The main issue as a developer is hardware fragmentation, where the problem is worth having. All of my applications are built to Android 1.5 because I don’t need anything specifically in later versions. If you need something in a later API, you just make that your minimum version.
As a consumer, it seems the consternation only stems from envy. Most people liked their phones when they bought them, but when others start showing off their newer OS’s, they suddenly begin behaving like teenagers in need of self-esteem.
Android gives phones a common core, but each phone is still custom built, so it is unreasonable to assume that all phone models should get updates at the same time.
BTW, I waited patiently along with everyone else for my Droid to be upated to 2.1. And guess what? The heavens didn’t shine down and cause the world to sing as one. Definitely was not worth the stress that some people gave it (one of my friends acts like he’s gonna go on a mass murder when he doesn’t get his Android phone updated as soon word is leaked of a new version)
Google should release new version. Fragmentation is an issue and will always be an issue.
I feel vendors have more responsibility in these areas. They are the one who make app like Moto Blur, Xperia App skin, etc which are root causes of these fragmentation.
New features like.
1. Robust Exchange support.
2. Freeing up RAM limitations.
3. Other fixes.
Should be on highest priority. This will increase the Market share and the competition.
They have to be ahead of competitor releases.
I like company who has vision, frequent upgrades (to stay ahead in Market).
You cannot wait for next 6 months for Sony to migrate their Xperia, and in meantime Apple releases OS 4.x and as a result Android looses market share.
One of the key reasons I chose to buy a Nexus One over the Desire, was that it ran vanilla Android, and therefore wouldn’t be subject to the whims of manufacturers and carriers delaying updates.
If you really cannot live without Sense, Motoblur, Rachael or whatever, then buy the modded phones, but accept that in all likelihood, the carriers and manufacturers would prefer that the O/S was static for the lifetime of the phone.
I’d really hate to see the pace of development dragged back by purely commercial considerations.
I’ll happily live without the extra eye-candy, or more elegant social-networking interface. Hell, I’d even be happy to pay an additional cash premium, to ensure that I am not sacrificing my expectations of a dynamic platform.
Fragmentation? Only really a problem for those who feel the need to complain because they have traded agile devices for the glitz and empty glamour of shiny UI addons
oh! cool! another update + another fragmentation = more waiting !REALY COOL!
should I change my mind about android?
should be my htc hero the first and the last android phone?
It’s not our fault (Nexus one owners) that manufacturers with Sense UI and Moto Blur take so long to update. It’s not our problem. They should stick to stock Android builds.
Release it Google!
I’m not too excited about 2.2. Then again, I’ve got cyanogenmod on my Droid and it’s been fast, rock-solid and feature-packed for me. I’ll probably keep this phone for the full 2 years because of the constant updates I get from the custom rom scene, but I can still drool over each new hotness android phone that comes out every couple of months and encourage others to pick those up after I deluge them with all the details about them. The important thing for me is that developers and engineers are constantly working on improving upon the OS and hardware and it’s a very exciting thing to see and encourage as a consumer and geek. The next best thing is always right around the corner and sites like this keep us updated, whereas the alternative waits up until every June to market and leak juicy rumors of the next iteration of their closed, over-priced, over-hyped, eyecandy-laden mainstream smartphone. I do like the competition that keeps everyone on their toes and forces them to continue innovating to keep our attention.
I had the G1 from day 1 and receive every update to 1.6 and understood because of hardware that anything further may not be possible. Of course I have upgrade to the Nexus 1 to continue that trend. I don’t see froyo or Google as being the problem with fragmentation, they offer a free OS that other vendors choose to customize. You want updates get a Google branded phone, you want fancy widgets and super social networking get MotoBlur, Sense and etc. From what I have seen not to many Google branded phone have problems with upgrades unless it is hardware related. Now we want Google to help, I say no way!! Keep moving forward. Tell the other vendors to strip their UI and give their cutomers the upgrades and once their UI is fix to work with it put it back on. Google is not the problem nor are they EVIL!!!!!
Customers won’t be upset if they don’t really need it. I have a Hero today, and at 1.5, I have a limited selection of apps, no good bluetooth support, and I’m missing out on Navigation. A jump to 2.1 brings back into the modern Android arena. If the difference between 2.1 and 2.2 is only incremental, I’ll be happy to wait.
people with old phones should upgrade people who buy new phones with old os versions are stupid.
Nuff said screw all these motoblur and htc crappy themes. I like my android stock, if you dont buy stock android and dont get updates it’s your problem not mine.
Release the froyo!
so all you people telling them to hault release are basically saying “stop progression and andvancement” you bought your phones with sense and motoblur, why should google sit around and do nothing for a few months when they could be developing their platform even more… so what if they crank updates out like crazy, atleast it’s progress….
with iPhone, everyone gets an update once a year, you think it really takes them 1 year to add 3g? one year to add voice controls? HELLLL NO!!!!!! i want to be able to see developement as it happens and keep it going, why would you want to stall development because you manufacturer sucks at porting their UI onto the new code???? get over it
I saw a woman picking up a G1 yesterday. I was amazed that T-mobile still sells this phone for $99 on contract. It is a nice phone, but they should hand them out for free at this point as upgrades are sparse.
First, Google need to make Android officialy full IPv6 compatible, see :
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=3389
Then, Google you need to make manufacturer understand they do need to upgrade their phone and follow the pace of upgrade.
If you don’t do that, it can endanger the future of Android.
The only alternative is to go to a GPL with ClassPathException license for the whole stack, so that changes to the core OS stay opensource, but new application brought by the manufacturer, can be brought by a more closed license.
And as a conclusion, Google need to clarify it’s support of the Java platform. Really, making android Java ME CDC compatible look a possible thing. This is important because some people need a portable application and JavaME realy does this.
Remeber the famous “embrace and extend” … never forget to really embrace first ;-)
Why has no one thought of this? Google should make everyone run stock Android. If HTC, Moto, Dell, Sony, etc. want to make a custom home, make them release it on the Market and have it run special checks for the device’s manufacturer before installing. That way, the worst that happens is that when 2.2, 2.5, 2.6 and beyond come out, us nerds can uninstall Sense, Blur, or others, upgrade, and wait on the manufacturer to release the UI if we want to. Others can wait, but it will be their choice. Make them as backwards-compatible as possible without making it like desktop Windows (compatible with 3.11) and let us try to reinstall the interface. After all, if Ahome, Pandahome, Home++, and Dxtop can run on 1.5-2.1 without issues, I’m sure HTC can do the same thing. This way, we can have all updates pushed to the phone as soon as they come out, and not have to rely on leaks (I have an Eris, so especially angry) and we can get the best quickly.
I can’t believe all the people saying: “Just release it already. Who cares about fragmentation. It only affects the app developers!” or “I don’t care if they release it I buy a new android phone every 6 months” Are you people on crack? First of all apps are what make these phones. So if your hurt app developers like myself we are just going to goto apple (Trust me, i’m looking into the transition). Secondly most average consumers don’t have $500 to drop on a new phone every 6 months. I’ve been hearing that 2.2 is suppose to help the fragmentation issue. I hope thats true. b/c if it doesn’t android is gonna die real fast. It really hurts the user experience when i’m with 3 of my friends all with different android phone on different networks and we can’t even run the same apps! horrible
The answer to fragmentation? Buy a Nexus One. End of story.
What they need are minimum specs. G1’s running 2.2 will just make it look bad. I’d say a minimum of a 1ghz arm7+ cpu with 480×800 or higher. That’s what really killed Windows Mobile and kept it small, too many slow and crappy phones.
Whatever Re: not being able to run the same apps. Blame HTC and Motorola for not upgrading their phones to at LEAST 1.6. Almost every app in the app store can run on 1.6 except, what, Twitter and Google Earth? Don’t blame Google. 1.6 came out FOREVER ago; the hardware manufacturers need to step it up.
What fragmentation? Can someone please explain to me what the problem is with having 3 or 4 different versions of the same OS out in the wild?
I personally think it stems from a big public misconception of how Android releases work. Firstly, as a developer, you basically target the minimum Android API level of all phones you want to support. That way, all phones that run the same or later version than the one you develop for, will work fine. All earlier versions will not even see your app on Android Market. At this point in time, most generic apps should be targeting v1.5, therefore ensuring that all Android phones can run them.
From a user’s perspective, so long as they only install apps from Android Market, there will never be any issue. I dont see how someone with a newer phone having access to more apps than I do, will ever be a problem for my phone.
The only time fragmentation ever matters is if you want to develop apps that can support older phones, but use newer OS features (note: not phone features) on phones that support them. In this case you may need to compile for different API levels, but I would suggest that not many apps fall into this category.
I find the Android 1.6 on my HTC magic to work very well – and 99% of apps I’ve tried have worked great (i only install apps with high ratings). The only reason I’d be updating is to have the latest and greatest features.
Fragmentation is not caused by releasing new versions, it’s caused by vendors who don’t want to update to those new versions. Should we punish droid/n1/Incredible owners because of jealous 1.5/1.6 users?
So far my Droid has received two updates. I had to wait a few months for each update from when google released it. Not once did this “fragmentation” of being on 2.0 affect me in the slightest. Every app worked just fine.
Developers, just code for the lesser version if that’s what you want to do! The release of 2.2 will not hurt you! Your apps will still run on 2.2! Jeez…
The complaints on here about Android 2.2 being in development are pure stupidity.
First, Android 2.2 is NOT being released. It’s being developed and tested. So everyone whining about how this release is going to increase fragmentation is full of it. There is no release, so shut up.
Second, a software developer SHOULD start working on the next release as soon as the current one is out. That’s how every major developer works, so why should Google be stupid and deliberately sit on their asses doing nothing instead? Could there possibly be a more stupid and less sensible strategy to pursue?
Well, I suppose Google could move all their employees to a monastery in Tibet for ten years of silent meditation. Who knows, maybe the vendors might actually get past 1.6 during that ten years.
Seriously, stop blaming a non-existent release that has not happened yet for manufacturers being slow to update their eye candy interface crap.
I want to install the befunky photo effects but I need an android 2.2, which they dont sell yet, what do I do!?!?!?!?!?