Galaxy Note 4

Everyone knows that Verizon is a terrible company to deal with.  Customers get slow updates (See: Galaxy Note 4) and phone manufacturers lose control, but at this point, it’s just as much Samsung’s fault as Verizon’s.

Galaxy Note 4

It’s time for cell providers to return control to the manufacturers.  This is ridiculous.

This is the exact reason why the Google’s Nexus 5 was never on the Verizon network. Verizon refused to give up control.

In October 2015 Google started rolling out the Nexus 7 (2013 edition)  Android Marshmallow 6.0 update. In January of 2016 Verizon starts rolling out the Android 5.1.1 update for the Galaxy Note 4.

This is embarrassing. Verizon takes a long time to roll out an update to fix a bunch of bugs that many customers were complaining about, and they don’t even release the current version of Android which is already over three months old.

Why not push for Marshmallow Verizon?  You certainly took your time, why not wait another week and release a proper update?

And Samsung, why don’t you fight for control of your software?  Stop bowing to Verizon, and gain control of your own market.

When Google told Verizon they wouldn’t give in, Verizon simply wouldn’t let the Nexus devices on their network.  No big deal.  The Nexus devices are for developers.  No big loss for Verizon.

But Samsung, what if you threatened to pull all your devices from Verizon? That pill might be a bit harder to swallow.

What choices would be left for customers? HTC and Motorolla? That might be enough for Verizon to call the bluff, but I doubt it.

The real problem here is that customers don’t get timely updates. So…

Who’s fault is it that Android always feels outdated?

The abyssal Marshmallow adoption rates really show how out of date Android is for many users. Heck, the Galaxy Note 4 probably will never see it.

The first target is typically Google.  Why don’t they take control of their system?

Google’s product is out there for anyone to have and use.  It’s not really Google’s business to deal with what individual companies want to do with it, nor the politics those companies engage in with mobile service providers.

One notable exception is the Nexus devices, and as noted before, Google doesn’t let the providers tell them what they can do with their device.

The next target would be the manufacture.  In the case of the Galaxy Note 4, that would be Samsung.

It’s in Samsung’s best interest to provide the best Android experience, including timely updates, to their customers. But this doesn’t always happen. Why?

Because they keel over to Verizon’s demand for control. So who is at fault?

Well, the latter two of course.  Companies like Verizon, who demand unreasonable control over products they allow on their network, and companies like Samsung who heed to such demands.

However, perhaps there is one more group at fault.  The customers.

Specifically, the customers who voice their complaints, see them go unacknowledged and continue to support these companies in spite of the terrible services.

So how do we fight this? Information and wallets. Informed customers can make informed votes with their wallets.

Via: Phandroid