Major Android Updates To Be Released Annually
It seems that Google will be slowing down the firmware update rate of Android, as indicated by Google VP Andy Rubin. In the last few months, Android firmware has been updating approximately twice per year but as Rubin points out, with Android “settling down”, the OS updates will be done annually.
One of the main reasons to slow down the updates was to allow developers and apps an easier production pace, as with the current schedule, many apps often have only a short time before the Android OS is updated again and becomes obsolete.
A platform that’s moving — it’s hard for developers to keep up,” Rubin explained. “I want developers to basically leverage the innovation. I don’t want developers to have to predict the innovation.
The new Android update schedule echoes that of the iPhone update schedule. Every year around the June/July time frame, the iPhone receives a major OS update and throughout the year, the iPhone would receive minor fixes. The new Android OS update schedule could follow this exactly.
The update schedule change will not only be good for developers but also good for users. Many users have expressed dissatisfaction at the fragmentation of the Android OS, with many devices in Canada still shipping with Android 1.5! To make matters worse, a lot of these “newly” releasing devices may not ever be upgraded, severely limiting the capability of the specific Android device.
This seems like a good move for Google and Android, as it gives users less fragmentation and developers more time for production.
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