Came to conclusion T-Mobile has the worst record of updating higher end Android

[aneftp]

Had conversion with a friend of mind last night. He's the biggest T-mobile supporter until he couldn't defend T-mobile's record with Android updates (major updates 2.1/2.2/2.3/4.0).

I've been with T-mobile for a long time. (along with ATT) and now Verizon.

I'm trying to think. Has any T-mobile branded (non-rooted) android device ever gotten more than one major official Android system update?

I can't think of any Android device.

Than I thought of Verizon/Sprint/ATT.

Verizon updated the original Droid 2.0 to 2.1 to 2.2, The Droid X was updated to from 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3. Same for Droid Incredible 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3. And the Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S variant) got 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3 as well.

ATT updated the Samsung Galaxy S (Captivate) from 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3 as well

Sprint updated the HTC EVO 4g from 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3. Also updated the Epic Touch 4g (Galaxy S variant) from 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3.

We all know how the Samsung Vibrant/Behold/mytouch series have been horribly EOL (in terms of official Android updates) usually less than 1 year after it first appeared with T-mobile.

Is this T-mobile policy to just do one update?

[Kies]

myTouch 3G got 2 updates to Android 2.2. I don't recall a device released by any carrier with Android 1.5 going from there to 2.2...
G1 got 2 updates

The behold was a joke of a phone from Samsung. The Galaxy S Vibrant got an update to 2.2. The myTouch 4G is on Gingerbread. The myTouch 3G Slide got an update to 2.2. The Galaxy S 4G got an update to 2.3.

The Galaxy S Vibrant didn't get an update to 2.3 gingerbread. The CLIQ never got an update to 2.1 because Motorola seriously sucks... they themselves said they couldn't do it. The Motorola Devour on Verizon is stuck on 1.6. The DROID Eris is stuck on 2.1. The Moment from Sprint is on 2.1 or 2.2. Intercept is on 2.2

[aneftp]

myTouch 3G got 2 updates to Android 2.2. I don't recall a device released by any carrier with Android 1.5 going from there to 2.2...
G1 got 2 updates

The behold was a joke of a phone from Samsung. The Galaxy S Vibrant got an update to 2.2. The myTouch 4G is on Gingerbread. The myTouch 3G Slide got an update to 2.2. The Galaxy S 4G got an update to 2.3.

The Galaxy S Vibrant didn't get an update to 2.3 gingerbread. The CLIQ never got an update to 2.1 because Motorola seriously sucks... they themselves said they couldn't do it. The Motorola Devour on Verizon is stuck on 1.6. The DROID Eris is stuck on 2.1. The Moment from Sprint is on 2.1 or 2.2. Intercept is on 2.2

First, I really wanted to talk about higher end Android devices (when they were released)...probably shouldn't have mentioned Samsung Behold since that wasn't high end. Cause Verizon Droid Eris was a lower end/mid tier device and definitely not higher end.

Saying that. Only the MyTouch 3g has gotten 2 major software updates (from original shipping version?).

As far as I known, The Vibrant got only one update. Galaxy S 4G only got one update. Mytouch 4G only got one update. G2 only got one update. These were considered high end Tmobile devices at the time.

I'm sure the S2 Sensation 4G will be stuck with 4.0 (one update from Gingerbread 2.3) and will never see 4.1 officially.

My point I am really trying to make it for some reason (and it's not the manufactures). It's T-mobile USA who is the culprit for lack of Android updates. I was pissed at Samsung for not updating the Vibrant to 2.3 when every other carrier updated their Galaxy S to 2.3. But should have re-directed my blame at T-mobile.

[Antenna]

T-Mobile is good about updating.

While verizon may do tiny upgrades, like 2.0--2.1--2.3, T-Mobile does large upgrades

Look how the MyTouch (HTC Magic) went from 1.6 up to 2.2 Froyo. T-Mobile just does bigger upgrades instead of smaller ones.

[Morphling27]

First, I really wanted to talk about higher end Android devices (when they were released)...probably shouldn't have mentioned Samsung Behold since that wasn't high end. Cause Verizon Droid Eris was a lower end/mid tier device and definitely not higher end.

Saying that. Only the MyTouch 3g has gotten 2 major software updates (from original shipping version?).

As far as I known, The Vibrant got only one update. Galaxy S 4G only got one update. Mytouch 4G only got one update. G2 only got one update. These were considered high end Tmobile devices at the time.

I'm sure the S2 Sensation 4G will be stuck with 4.0 (one update from Gingerbread 2.3) and will never see 4.1 officially.

My point I am really trying to make it for some reason (and it's not the manufactures). It's T-mobile USA who is the culprit for lack of Android updates. I was pissed at Samsung for not updating the Vibrant to 2.3 when every other carrier updated their Galaxy S to 2.3. But should have re-directed my blame at T-mobile.

You should direct this equally at the carriers and the manufacturers. We all know the carriers hold it up saying it's 'testing' yet we know the phone's radios already work... it shouldn't take that long to figure out if the new software messed any of that up.

Yet, if you follow some phones, leaks come out much sooner than they are officially released so that shows the manufacturer is doing something. This isn't always the case, leaks never come which likely means the manufacturer never intends to update said device.

We all know both manufacturer and carrier want you to sign up as soon as possible to get a new phone so some of this has to do with making more money but I think the biggest problem is releasing phones with a version behind what's currently out. I can see if it's released within a few weeks of the new OS being out, but when it's a month or months or like now - we have 2.3 still showing up on NEW phones. I wouldn't touch a phone like that with a 10 foot poll.

[Antenna]

HTC currently has the best track record for keeping its phones up-to-date. To strengthen the future likelihood that your Android phone will have the latest version of Android, according to our research, your best bet is to pick up an HTC phone on either T-Mobile or Sprint.

source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/25665...d_updates.html

[terryjohnson16]

The Vibrant got the upgrade shaft, because T-mobile and Samsung decided to launch the Galaxy S 4G, just to give the users HSPA+ 21, and Gingerbread.

They could have just offered the Vibrant a Gingerbread update.

[Hesster]

Personally, I've never understood why people depend on carriers and manufacturers for software updates. ROMs are faster, have less bloat, more stablity, longer better battery life, more customization and get updated long after the manufacturer and carrier have forgotten about the device. There are ICS ROMs on the original Droid and the myTouch 3G. Phone that never even got official updates to GB.

Quit complaining about lack of support, root your phone, find a ROM that suits your taste and be happy.

[jet1000]

It's T-mobile USA who is the culprit for lack of Android updates. I was pissed at Samsung for not updating the Vibrant to 2.3 when every other carrier updated their Galaxy S to 2.3. But should have re-directed my blame at T-mobile.

Exactly right. T-Mobile knows that if they fail to update, the customer is much more likely to buy a new phone from T-Mobile with the latest version. It's all about keeping the profits up.

[Antenna]

Exactly right. T-Mobile knows that if they fail to update, the customer is much more likely to buy a new phone from T-Mobile with the latest version. It's all about keeping the profits up.

You are posting false opinions, as usual. This is just ugly speculation

Where is your recent (>2012), reputable, source?

According to PC World, this last June 2012, T-Mobile ranks better than AT&T and Verizon at updating its android phones.

Again, because I have real sources:

HTC currently has the best track record for keeping its phones up-to-date. To strengthen the future likelihood that your Android phone will have the latest version of Android, according to our research, your best bet is to pick up an HTC phone on either T-Mobile or Sprint.

source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/25665...d_updates.html

[jet1000]

Again, because I have real sources:

Your own real source said:

"In fact, T-Mobile, the carrier that had the lowest percentage of expected Ice Cream Sandwich-friendly phones "

Lowest percentage! Once again, T-Mobile bringing up the rear. The rest of the T-Mobile customers who won't get the upgrade just needs to start saving up some money to pay T-Mobile for a new device.

[terryjohnson16]

I just wish that the android phones were stock android. Less issues. But the problem also is that phones that come to tmobile with stock android, are low end and wont receive updates.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using HowardForums

[Antenna]

Your own real source said:

"In fact, T-Mobile, the carrier that had the lowest percentage of expected Ice Cream Sandwich-friendly phones "

Lowest percentage! Once again, T-Mobile bringing up the rear. The rest of the T-Mobile customers who won't get the upgrade just needs to start saving up some money to pay T-Mobile for a new device.

You didn't finish the quote! Wow you are something else..... Typical Jet dicing up peoples quotes to put his own pesimistic spin on everything:

In fact, T-Mobile, the carrier that had the lowest percentage of expected Ice Cream Sandwich-friendly phones in the first chart turns out to have the highest percentage of phones running Android 4.0 now

Could the lowest percentage to be updated is because a high-percentage of T-Mobile phones already have ICS?

What the article says about others:

Sprint follows close behind T-Mobile on this measure, with AT&T coming in a distant third and Verizon an even more distant fourth. Most of Verizon's lineup is scheduled for updating, but at the moment only one of its phones runs Ice Cream Sandwich. .....

Though Verizon offers a lot of Android phones, most of the updates that the carrier has promised remain simply promises.

[aurora40]

HTC Amaze got ICS, as did the Sensation. TMo's SII got ICS. The HTC One S already has it, as does the SIII and Note. The Galaxy Blaze is scheduled to get ICS. The Nexus S on T-Mo's frequency has Jelly Bean (though I don't know if that was TMo branded?) What other "high end" phones do they have?

I don't think a measure of how many updates a phone got is overly relevant. The phones you mention with "more than one major update" are phones that came with Eclair. No phone that shipped with Gingerbread can have had more than one major update unless that phone is the Nexus S. And Verizon was certainly the biggest early adopter of Android phones, so they have more high-end phones that started with Eclair and thus could be updated through Froyo and Gingerbread. Also, FYI, 2.0 and 2.1 are both "Eclair", so 2.0 to 2.1 to 2.2 is not really more than one major release.

And I think phones that could run Eclair were more than likely good enough to run Gingerbread (hardware-wise). Phones that shipped with Froyo are not necessarily "good enough" to run ICS. So your measure really favors phones that were launched with Eclair. I don't know if T-Mobile was in the "high end" android game back then? I don't know they weren't either, I don't know a lot about their historical lineup.

And if you look at Motorola phones now vs the OG Droid, their update record is pretty poor. The X2 and Droid 3 won't get ICS. Only the Razr has been updated thus far, in spite of many promises.

[aurora40]

Exactly right. T-Mobile knows that if they fail to update, the customer is much more likely to buy a new phone from T-Mobile with the latest version. It's all about keeping the profits up.

What a load of crap. With the exception of Nexus devices, most all carriers and manufacturers are "slow" with updates, or fail to update phones that some owners feel should have been updated. Either there is more involved than you think to update a phone, or all carriers only want to keep their profits up.

Do you have any evidence that a failure to update devices results in more sales vs more defection to other carriers or manufacturers?