Carriers

Posted Nov 7, 2017 9:57 UTC (Tue) by gby (guest, #23264)
In reply to: Carriers by epa
Parent article: An update on the Android problem

In many countries the prime channels to get smartphones to the end of customers is by said customers purchasing a carrier branded, often subsidized and sometime customized phone. The carriers must OK each software update to such devices.

Carriers

Posted Nov 7, 2017 11:28 UTC (Tue) by epa (subscriber, #39769) [Link] (2 responses)

Hmm, but the carriers don't have to OK each software update to iPhones, surely? Even if the iPhone was subsidized and locked to that carrier. And if it can be done for iOS it can be done for Android.

Carriers

Posted Nov 7, 2017 13:21 UTC (Tue) by nhippi (subscriber, #34640) [Link] (1 responses)

The carriers go "We'd like to order x million phones, but we want brand/customize them". Apple can say "No, we don't customize", and carriers will order iphones anyways, as else customers who want apple phones will go to other carriers. Android makers can't afford to say no, the carrier will simply order android phones from another vendor.

It wouldn't be so bad, if the branding/customization were just .apk:installed on top of Generic Android. But now the whole stack is compiled into one image that must be updated and tested as whole. Project Treble is the first step google is taking to get out of the mess.

Carriers

Posted Nov 10, 2017 8:47 UTC (Fri) by marcH (subscriber, #57642) [Link]

While iOS customization is certainly nowhere near Android's, I was recently surprised to see the following popup on a friend's iPhone: "To enable tethering on this account, contact AT&T at 611 or visit...