We talk about the importance of updates Android, which are often forgotten by the manufacturers of 'strong middlings'.
Original material
Mid-range flagship smartphones have an attractive price tag, but can you close your eyes to the fact that updates are not released for them over and over again? This class of smartphones appeared several years ago, but they have already managed to make a mess on the market. With devices like the OnePlus 3T, we can confidently question the need to buy flagship smartphones, especially when it comes to Android. After all, why pay 50,000 rubles when you can get the same thing for 25,000? Is the curved display worth it? And the aspect ratio is 2: 1?
But while companies like OnePlus, Huawei, Xiaomi and others continue to make great smartphones, it's time to call manufacturers to account and discuss the software update schedule for their devices. How much can they get away with unfulfilled promises?
Can OnePlus still be trusted?
Everyone's favorite flagship killer turns into a media frustration over the years. Early on in its journey, OnePlus encouraged consumers that the brand was for enthusiasts. But those same enthusiasts were left with nothing when the company refused to release an update to Android Nougat for OnePlus 2. In mid-August, the company did it again, announcing that the OnePlus 3T, a device not yet a year old, would not receive updates after Android Oreo. By and large, OnePlus just sold you two devices with a support cycle of less than a year. The OnePlus 3T launched with Android Marshmallow a few months after the Google Pixel and Nougat devices launched. So it was no surprise that 3T received Nougat shortly after launch, especially given the fact that Google was releasing preliminary versions of the update to developers. And that is why the claims that Android O will be the last update for 3T are eyewash. This, at least in my understanding, is absolutely unforgivable, especially from a company that was considered to be above all the questionable marketing practices of other companies.
OnePlus is going through some sort of brand relaunch. The company seems to have realized that the image of an enthusiast device won't stand the test of time. Therefore, OnePlus is transforming itself into a brand like everyone else, and this is evident from the various marketing strategies employed by the company. I could have turned a blind eye with the OnePlus 2. After all, many expected this from a phone with the Snapdragon 810. Seeing this situation with the 3T, I start to seriously doubt that OnePlus is interested in keeping its customers.
Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, has often expressed the company's desire to produce the 'best flagships' on the market. And by and large he is right. OnePlus smartphones will give the heat to any flagship. But, as you may have read in our review, the OnePlus 5 lacks the bells and whistles inherent in a true flagship. Add to this the already known update story Android and as a result, today I am more inclined to buy the Galaxy S8 or LG G6 than the OnePlus 5.
We and Mi
I think the most notorious violator is Xiaomi. This fast-growing Chinese giant has amassed an extensive user base over the years and is one of the few phone manufacturers that has a real fan base. They can argue that updates Android are not important for the company's devices, whose MiUI firmware provides users with many 'chips' that are not even in the newest versions Android. Be that as it may, updates Android are not limited to new features. It is also about safety and compatibility factors and cannot be ignored.
Xiaomi Mi 5, the company's 2016 flagship, is still powered by Marshmallow and launched with it. For a flagship-class device, such a situation more than a year after launch is outrageous. What else? In January this year Xiaomi announced the imminent release of the Nougat version for developers together with the release of Redmi Note 4. Since then, more than six months have passed and Redmi Note 4 so and runs on Marshmallow, while the Nougat-based MiUI 9 is only rolling out for devices Xiaomi. Device updates Xiaomi conveniently hide the version of Google's security policy installed on the phone.
Samsung and all-all-all
Of course, this behavior is not only seen for the companies mentioned. We often receive letters from users complaining about various brands, such as Micromax, Lava, Intex, Meizu, Coolpad, Qiku and even Lenovo. While Google advertises a better streamlined approach to upgrades from version to version, OEMs literally ignore new versions Android. Even top brands such as Samsung have not done well in terms of updates. Samsung launched the J7 Prime with Marshmallow on board, barely having time to launch Nougat-based handsets out of the box. Recently, the market leader has been working on its UI, but this does not change the fact that for Samsung devices in the middle and budget segments, the situation with ignoring update cycles is quite common. The only difference with the aforementioned brands is that perhaps Samsung, LG, HTC and Sony are often the first to introduce OS updates for their flagships, but the latter are not sold in large numbers.
Some companies, such as Lenovo, pay attention to consumer complaints. In a recent announcement from the company, it was said that the company's future smartphones will run on 'clean' Android. And for Lenovo K8 Note they even promise an update. Of course, Motorola has always been in the lead when it comes to timely updates, although in light of the recent partnership with MediaTek, questions arise about the future of the devices.
Why are there no updates?
Honestly, this is a mystery to me, but after years of reporting in the industry, I can make a couple of guesses. First, it costs money to provide updates. Each new version Android must be entered into the manufacturer's own interface. This requires time, human and financial resources, which no company wants to spend. It's much easier to take the phone out of production and sell it to an unsuspecting user.
Secondly, we ignored the phenomenon of updates for a very long time in favor of more megapixels, higher screen resolutions or faster processor. Today we can afford to buy a smartphone for 10,000 rubles every year, five years ago this was not the case. This is both part of our fault and part of the OEMs, but it's time to rethink this approach. And this also applies to the flagships of the middle price category, which cost from 18,000 to 35,000 rubles, as in the case of OnePlus 5. If you are ready to spend 35,000 on a device that will end in support in a year, then you can overpay another 10,000 and get a smartphone with longer support.
Author – Prasid Banerji
A rather peculiar approach from the position of the Indian market: “We want everything at once and for 10,000 rupees (about 9,000 rubles), and of course updates for three years in advance.” But the desire to have the most current version of the software is not entirely clear. Not all smartphones in the middle price range will be able to 'pull' all the innovations, especially when it comes to little-known Chinese manufacturers. If it is the security policy updates that are important, then you can wait until the enthusiasts release a third-party firmware with a relatively new software version. Well, or in fact, as the author wrote, try to accumulate an amount that will be enough for a smartphone that is more durable in terms of support, saving yourself the need to buy a smartphone for 10,000 once a year. Either be ready for some compromises, or pay more for 'full stuffing' and not worry about anything for two or three years. The third option is custom firmware, but it is not suitable for everyone.
Returning to the question raised by the author: is it possible to trust OEMs who don't really care about the current version Android in their devices? If we are talking about manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OnePlus and Huawei, then in my opinion – it is possible, such companies in the context of international expansion are very important image and name in order to stand out from the hordes smaller manufacturers who are ready to jump over their heads in order to buy their device. If we take the segment of 15,000 – 30,000 rubles, then it is likely that there will be support at least in terms of security policy. With all this, the characteristics of such devices are already at the level of flagships, as I was personally able to verify after a couple of weeks of testing Honor 8 Pro, the device is just super, if, of course, you are not enraged by the on-screen navigation keys. I would disagree with the conclusions regarding OnePlus, the fact that the company does not update its smartphones to the current version Android does not mean that it does not think about how not to lose loyal customers. Yes, the approach to the formation of the image of smartphones is changing, but this is not at all a minus to the devices, I can say with confidence, as the newly-made owner of OnePlus 5, whose first impressions I will share with the readers of AMR this week.
Do you consider upgrading to the newest version Android a mandatory requirement for a mid-range flagship? Or do you think that buyers of such smartphones can be content with the available version of the software and not worry about it?