Google Wants Regular Updates on Android Phones, Carriers Posing Challenge

Android has improved a lot since its launch, but the problem of less frequent upgrades has probably started bothering Google. Many mobile phone enthusiasts, techies and Google itself and vying for the regular updates, but the wireless carriers are on another direction. The handset makers along with the carriers spend a lot of time to test whether the latest upgrades will be compatible with their add-ons or not, which results in the delay.

The market experts describe another side of the story. They feel that these handset makers and carriers are reluctant to bring regular updates because an upgrade will bring several features for free to the users and thus they (users) may not extend their wireless contracts or purchase latest hardware. This will affect the hardware makers and wireless carriers directly in terms of business, which they don’t want.

When Google acquired Motorola almost a year back, many believed that the delay of upgrades and fragmentation will be broken, but the RAZR HD and RAZR M were released with backdated Android along with the customizations and skins of their exclusive carrier Verizon. Though RAZR HD is expected to ship with Android 4.0, but it is also expected to be upgraded to Jelly Bean by the year-end.

Google with its Nexus smartphones along with a tablet, make use of stock Android operating system with interface overlays and no enhancements. These devices get regular upgrades, which is how the Android users should experience, said Google authorities. Hope Google will be able to sort this drawback soon with the carriers and hardware makers.