Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue

By | January 27, 2012, 4:40am PST

Summary: It is far too common for a major Android update to get pushed out to device owners, only to cause significant problems. Google needs to get a handle on the Android update process.

It seems like every day brings news that some Android device gets a major update. That’s a good thing, as a common complaint about Android is the fragmentation that exists from devices not getting updates. Unfortunately, even getting an Android update is often not a bed of roses, as owners quickly find out the problems are just beginning.

Android smartphones and tablets are complex devices, and the platform is also complex. That’s the price of a rounded OS, mobile or otherwise. Android must be more complex than other platforms, as it has become commonplace to hear of one device or another developing major problems after receiving an Android system update. It’s as if there is no process in place to make sure updates are good before pushing them out to the masses.

Big updates of any system can create problems, that is not the issue. The issue is how often we hear of an update making it to the public, and having major device failures as a result. A recent example is the Ice Cream Sandwich update for the ASUS Transformer Prime. Owners are now reporting that since updating the tablet it has a habit of locking up. Not just a little glitch, the devices are locking up totally.

ASUS has acknowledged the problem, and that a fix for the problems caused by the update will be out in February. Until then owners just have to put up with the freezes, and keep rebooting the devices. ASUS has some smart folks dealing with this stuff, yet even this problem made it past the QA process.

Since this is not an isolated case, it clearly demonstrates a problem with Android updates in general. Either the OS is too complex to get it right the first time, or worse there is nobody at Google with oversight of the update process. It shouldn’t be the norm that Android updates that cause major operational problems routinely get pushed out to the masses. Google needs to be helping OEMs to prevent this from happening over and over. This has to change.

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James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long.

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James Kendrick

James Kendrick has no affiliations or relationships that need to be disclosed.

Biography

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' writing has appeared in many print publications: Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine, Information Week and Laptop Magazine to name a few. James' coverage of the mobile technology sector has regularly appeared in the New York Times, Salon.com and CNN/ Fortune online. Not just a writer, James has filmed numerous video reviews and how-tos that have garnered well over a million viewers. He has appeared on local news segments and been interviewed by the Associated Press on mobile technology topics. Additionally, James has been podcasting about mobile technology for years.

Talkback Most Recent of 38 Talkback(s)

  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    OEMs is implementing their own stuff tweaking the OS and its no surprise that the update fails.

    Android OEMs are marketing phones based on specs. A lot of un-educated (in tech) are falling for it.

    In fact a lot of first gereration dual core android phones do not use the second core... One could image who are the real losers here.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    owlnet
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @owlnet
    This is why OEMs love android. They can sell you crap and not worry about updates. It is always easiest to release and forget. Maintenance is expensive.
    Microsoft had to deal with this when they tried to push the first Windows Phone update. Now process is smooth but in was not easy.
    OEM just do not care about software.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    paul2011
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @owlnet That's very true. However, Google could rectify that by making available a robust uninstall/un-update/revert/undo utility that would be part of the basic Android OS.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    mrxxxman
    27th Jan
  • Not really .... Android works like GNOME
    @owlnet The developers don't like to fix anything and will only work on new features. If there is too much fuzz about a problem, instead of fixing they just remove it.

    Google keeps incrementing numbers (ie: faking newer versions) while there are thousands of know and reported bugs that have gone unfixed since the first version was officially released.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    wackoae
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    Yes, this is so true. My HTC Inspire 4G phone got upgraded to gingerbread from froyo, suddenly when i received texts, the texts would appear from their phone numbers, the phone would no longer display the name of the person texting..just their phone number. Worse yet, there is no way to uninstall the update and go back to froyo. I ended up having to RMA the phone by telling a lie about it, although i did notice the phone start to lock up and seemed slower, so i think the RMA was justified. Either way, they need to figure out a process to test the updates before mass deployment. I have a new HTC inspire 4g, and i refuse to update it to gingerbread, as i'm afraid it will funk up my phone for good. I love android, but, they need to figure out a QA process and fast.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    mavsx41@...
    27th Jan
  • How is this noteworthy?
    I can cite the same issue for WindowsCE, Windows CE, having had the experience.
    Same goes for any O/S for that matter.

    Heck, install one driver in Windows and lose audio.

    This is poppy c-o-c-k.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate Try the iPad...
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Hasam1991
    27th Jan
  • I have
    @Hasam1991
    And every update has issues.
    iOS 5 was the worst.

    And on my iphone4 still waiting for the battery fix....
    ZDNet Gravatar
    rhonin
    28th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate

    Its news worthy in the same way the issues upgrading windows phone 7 to mango were newsworthy

    It actually highlights the fact that ASUS didn't test well enough rather than anything about Android
    ZDNet Gravatar
    the.nameless.drifter
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @the.nameless.drifter - Or that some things go unforeseen when updating that later come to light when the updates are used. Seriously, this entire article is useless just from the simple fact that this is nothing new from any product.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    atlharp
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate
    Are you admitting that Linux is no better than Windows? After all, we constantly hear that updating Linux is safe because updates never break anything. This is in contrast to Windows where it seems Linux users are the only ones that consistently break their Windows installs with every single update.

    Yet here you are admitting that Linux updates are just as bad as Windows updates. Your honestly on this matter is refreshing.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    toddybottom_z
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate
    Thankfully that method of updating mobile Windows was abandonded for a better process. Perhaps it's time Android made a similar change.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    kris_stapley@...
    27th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate

    Your're talking about Linux right?

    Have you ever seen Ubuntuforums after a new release? The level of breakage is horrific.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    AsifHussain1
    27th Jan
  • Of course you did
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate
    it is only logical that you would try to excuse this failure of open sorce software by claiming you had the same issues with Windows based software.
    plain
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Mister Spock
    28th Jan
  • RE: Common scenario: Android device gets updated, problems ensue
    @Dietrich T. Schmitz * Your Linux Advocate

    I feel your pain, but at least it isn't a problem with Linux. When I changed to Ubuntu from Mepis, audio didn't work at all. BIG improvement. wink
    ZDNet Gravatar
    clfitz
    29th Jan

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