By Ever since Google started getting the Froyo source code out to developers, they have been working seemingly round the clock to get it on a plethora of Android devices. The latest is the Acer Liquid, as you can see in the below video:
Still a few kinks to work out, but for all intents and purposes there it is running on the Liquid’s underclocked Snapdragon processor. If only OEMs could get builds out to their handsets as quickly as the developer community (an understandably daunting and unrealistic challenge), we’d all be sitting pretty with Android 2.2 in no time.
[via Frandroid]
I wouldn’t call it unrealistic to expect the original equipment manufacturer with experienced developers on staff, detailed internal specifications for the device, and a likely head start from Google to bust out an OS update before a guy sitting in his office hacking away for a few days.
@Memitim
yeah i see what you’re saying, but the OEM’s also have to go through the wireless providers. there are a lot of hurdles to go through as far as testing and everything goes. while some guy in his office can just post it on a website and users can download it. I wish android had an update system users could download or something like that. something like what itunes is for apple and iphone OS.
It also has to be remembered that the manufacturers should be ensuring that ALL aspects of the phone work.
For enthusiasts compiling for fun its a different matter if the camera or something don’t work very well. Imagine if a mfgr sent an update that had problems making emergency services calls or something equally bad.
Some manufacturers such as Samsung with all their engineering talent abandon devices as soon as they’re released (i.e. Galaxy, Moment 2). So they may have the talent but not necessarily the will or resources to support devices once it’s out the door.
As a soon to be Liquid owner, I am so happy to see this!
@RobC
Strange that you should mention 911 calls… Rogers (in Canada) sat on a known 911 issue that crashed the phone when you tried to make a 911 call for almost 6 months and then totally bungled the update.
Even after supposedly working hard and extensively “testing” the fix in created other issues.
The enthusiast community over at XDA had a fix out in weeks.
These are decisions being made by the marketing people at the OEM, not the engineers, they are working on the next 5 phones to be released. Since new technology seems to change almost weekly, they no doubt figure that customers will just dump the phones with yesterday’s technology and buy a new one with it, so why bother to go back and “fix” yesterday’s phone? Want 2.2, buy a new phone.
Acer still hasn’t been able to provide android 2.1 to liquid and their version is basically a vanilla version of android with couple of widgets added on it.
I’ve been telling my wife her phone (Acer Liquid) is going to have an update in a week or so since x-mas when I have it to her :(
She complains when trying to hang up a call before going to auto answer machine, the phone is locked and it takes additional steps/time to hang up.