"To have this many options and discrepancies over something as simple as copy and paste should be embarrassing to Google. What it mostly is, however, is a pain to the end user.
And that's kind of the crux of our problem with Android in its current state. We don't question the power of the OS, but the fit, finish, and ease of use simply is still not there."
I think Joshua Topolsky nailed it right at the heart of the problem for Android, at least from a typical smartphone user's point of view.
One of the things that bugs me about the Android UI, which doesn't seem to have been addressed in 2.3, is the lack of any decent UI management for multi-tasking. There's the alt-tab switcher if you hold down your home button which isn't a very obvious solution and it just takes too long. On my phone I have to hold down my home button for several seconds. This is probably a good example of what Topolsky is talking about.
Yes, when someone just wants to switch to another app to get something done, 2 seconds is quite a long time. Compared to the double-click-home in iOS, which is quite snappy, the two-second delay on Android takes the flow out of using the OS.
Which means most users will have it by... Q4 2011? Q1 2012?
I mean, we're up to 2.3 now, many devices are still being sold with 2.1, and while a lot of 2.2 updates are out now, they took forever.
I fear that the way the OEMs drag their feet on Android updates is a serious problem for the platform - cursed to constantly be chasing iOS which can get its new features to users months ahead of Google's schedule.
CES in January. Let's just say public in February - which means it's only available to Nexus owners, hackers, and enthusiasts with the know-how and inclination to root their device.
Being shipped with new devices? Being upgradeable from phone manufacturer (i.e., the ability for the "normal" user base to upgrade)? End of 2011, early 2012?
That's the problem, too many hoops, too long to hop through them. iOS can push major updates to their users instantly, Google has to wait for OEMs to get their act together, and if Android up to this point is any indication, it takes forever (if ever).
> OS can push major updates to their users instantly
Actually no, people need to connect their iphone to itunes in order to update, this is too much for many people and the result is that many iphone users do not update their phones:
And that's what I believe is the major reason why Google flip-flopped on releasing another Nexus. By making an Android device widely available that gets prompt updates and has no bloatware, they're letting carriers and manufacturers know that if they continue their games of user-hostile "branding", deliberate crippling, and planned obsolescence, their customers will have a solid alternative.
the public doesn't really care about that, they just want to buy the snazziest frobulet. you want an update? just buy a new phone. the hardware improvement makes it worth it anyway. so yes it's a problem, not not an important one.
activations are growing so fast that most users will be on the latest release quicker than you expect.
Spot on. I have an HTC Aria from AT&T that is still on 2.1. It is an awesome piece of hardware, but I use my iPhone most days because of the old Android OS.
