One of the things that has consistently been bothered Android users is having to upgrade the OS on the phone manufacturer’s schedule rather than Google despite the launch of new versions of the Android operating system, many users were stuck for months waiting for their phone to actually receive all of the new features such an OS update could provide.
Typically, there are a few reasons this takes place.
First of all, many of the manufacturers have offered their own “value added” content on top of the base Android experience, including a skin to give Android a unique look, but also manufacturer-specific apps to add extra functionality (or at worst, to access core features). Needless to say, rewriting all of these to work with a new version of the operating system takes some time.
But even worse, even if the manufacturer update process was relatively quick, any updates would then have to be run through the carrier that sell the phone, to be sure everything works properly on the network. By the time all of this has gone through the system and been approved for release, it could be months later.
During this year Google IO, VP of Android Product management Hugo Barra snuck an item onto the stage that almost seemed like an after thought, and it offered a sign that some of this may be about to change. That item: a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone that was running a stock version of Jelly Bean 4.2. Rather than being loaded up (some might say polluted) with Samsung’s custom features, it included a version of Android that was just the way you’d get it directly from Google. Better when updates are available to the Android OS, you can update it…right away. And yes, interested users will actually be able to buy it that way from Google starting on June 26.
What makes this more interesting is that HTC will also be offering up a version of the HTC Once that runs the standard version of Android rather than a skinned-up modified version. Again, this will be available at Google starting June 26.
Whether these two phones are just the first two in a long line of phones that are released to the public without the manufacturer customizations is yet to be seen.
Oh sure, if you wanted this type of phone, you've been able to buy Nexus phones directly from Google. But you can bet there’s a long line of people waiting for more hardware variety in the world of untampered-with Android phones.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s individual users just looking to get the newest version of Android ASAP, or people in the IT department looking for a smartphone that they can get updated fast, department wide, without having to worry about the manufacturer getting in the way – having more choice in handsets can only be a good thing.
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