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Topic: Hardware

Google updates Android SMS bug status to "Critical"

Summary: Following the negative press last week over an SMS bug in Android platform, Google has updated the status of the bug from "Medium" to "Critical."

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Following the negative press last week over an SMS bug in Android platform, Google has updated the status of the bug from "Medium" to "Critical."

The Android bug relates to SMS messages, specifically SMS messages being composed with one recipient in mind but which ended up being set to a completely different person in the contacts list. This issue has been ongoing for six months.

For a flagship mobile OS capturing such a big market in such a short space of time, it's taken Google a long time to officially acknowledge this critical issue, a move which could reflect badly on Google’s stewardship of the Android platform.

Topics: Hardware, Android, Collaboration, Google, Mobility, Networking, Telcos

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28 comments
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  • The question now becomes

    When a fix is available who will get it, and how long will it take? "Fragmentation" is thrown a lot in regards to Android, but cases like this will really illustrate some of the bigger chinks in Android's armor.
    matthew_maurice
    Reply Vote

    • 1 year... or more...

      @matthew_maurice

      Google already went to yearly updates for Roids due to hardware fragmentation. So you are looking at 1 year to have a bug patched, longer if your hardware isn't included in the anual patch. And with more fragmentation coming to market, the wait will get longer and longer... Gee, Arnt Roids swell (pun intended.. LOL)
      i8thecat
      Reply Vote

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      jywhy888
      Reply Vote

  • So the timeline will be...

    1) A small team will investigate it.
    2) Within 2 weeks, it will be reproducible on demand.
    3) Within a week, a fix will be in the tree.
    4) Within 20 weeks, all new phones shipping will have it pre-installed.
    5) Within 50 weeks 30% of phones will have it installed.
    Bruizer
    Reply Vote

    • Awfully conservative timeline for android (nt)

      (nt)
      ptcruisergt
      Reply Vote

    • That SMS bug is already a year old...

      @Bruizer

      That SMS bug is already a year old... So much for your timeline Bruizer...
      i8thecat
      Reply Vote

  • And still there is no ZDNet story on iOS alarm clock bug

    People have been late for work, missed appointment, lost [b]real[/b] money and [b]still[/b] not a single story about this on ZDNet. Every single other major news organization has covered this massive bug but ZDNet has obviously been asked by Apple to not cover this story. There is no other possible explanation.

    On the other hand, there is a famous saying:
    [i]Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.[/i]
    NonZealot
    Reply Vote

    • I know, GOD please somebody switch the topic to something anti-Apple

      @NonZealot

      Hurry!!!!
      Tigertank
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

      @NonZealot <br><br>Thanks for the clarification. All this time I thought your error-filled posts were due to maliciousness.
      msalzberg
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

      @NonZealot
      Not to stick up for AKH because I don't think he's much of a blogger, but he did in fact report on this. Here is the link:
      http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/iphone-users-hit-by-new-alarm-bug/10799?tag=content;search-results-rivers
      Loverock Davidson
      Reply Vote

      • Thank you Loverock

        @Loverock Davidson
        I appreciate the correction. Still interesting that it was AKH that reported on it instead of the Apple Core duo.

        What I find even more interesting is that none of the many Apple zealots who responded to my posts with insults knew that AKH's post existed either.
        NonZealot
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

        @NonZealot
        It wasn't easy to find, had to go back to Jan. 1st where most people were probably hung over and couldn't be bothered with the internet so it got overlooked. But it is interesting that the Apple bloggers on here didn't report it.
        Loverock Davidson
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

        @Loverock Davidson
        @NonZealot

        Get a room.
        daikon
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

        @Loverock Davidson I vaguely recall the article... I think there was a couple of articles on ZDNet about it.
        athynz
        Reply Vote

    • Still more lies?

      @NonZealot

      AKH reported on it but a lie slamming every blogger for pro Apple bias is easier I guess.
      Bruizer
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

      @NonZealot Not to discount that the alarm issue is an issue that needs to be looked at, they don't really fall within the same realm when it comes to issues. How many people did the alarm issue actually affect on Jan 1st versus how many people could the texting issue effect? The alarm issue is not one that is still continually affecting people each day while the texting issue is. Both need to be corrects.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • Maybe Android Apps need an approval process too.

    Is it impossible to consider an Android device for a business phone now? Can you imagine the consequences of your phone randomly sending vital company or project information to the wrong person; a competitor or client you're in negotiations with?

    I guess companies will ban the use of Android for relaying important information that could be compromising. It is good this problem has been bumped up to critical. It should be #1 on the list.

    Hopefully it will be corrected before too much vital information is compromised.
    Tigertank
    Reply Vote

  • Taken Google a long time to acknowledge this?

    Well, yeah: if you're doing good, the last thing you want to do is tell everyone that the item that you're selling them is flawed. Apple knew about the antenna and other issues, yet they never went out of their way to point it out, just addressed it when they had enough of them sold.
    John Zern
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Google updates Android SMS bug status to

      @John Zern
      Because it was NEVER an issue, either technologically OR economically, as evidenced by sales numbers for the iPhone 4, which continued unaffected by the SUPPOSED antenna issue. If you are positing malice on Apple's part (as well as omniscience, it would seem) these numbers are hard to make jibe.
      DeusXMachina
      Reply Vote

  • So that leaves all 3

    With major bugs...

    WP7 has the data bug, Apple can't seem to knick alarm clocks, and Android is playing Roulette with your messages.

    :|
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote
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