Android Mobile Software Update FAQ

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Android Mobile Software Update FAQ

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361 posts

Ultimate Geek

#667862 5-Aug-2012 17:46

So if you want to keep your ROM up to date officially, where's the best place to buy?

Seriously considering an HTC One X here and a parallel imported model sounds not only cheaper, but would have faster access to updates.

At least that's the impression I'm getting.

jeffnz

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#667880 5-Aug-2012 18:27

I don't believe they are cheaper when you take into consideration of freight import duties (GST) and the fact you aren't covered by the CGA

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Buttonmash

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Ultimate Geek

#667900 5-Aug-2012 19:05

http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=548/ID=17544/SID=727225862/productdetails.html

That's $250 cheaper than retail from 2degrees, Telecom or Vodafone. And it's covered by the CGA.

skyplonk

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#667913 5-Aug-2012 19:18

"We have never held back an available update for any other reason than the release failed our testing programme and the manufacturer was unable to resolve this. This would have translated into a substandard customer experience"

I struggle with this for a couple of reasons.

First, if that is the case the One X should never have been released. There are various known issues with the 1.26 builds, HTC acknowledged this promptly and updates were rolled out worldwide.

Telecoms testing process should of (you would think) found these issues, that are easily to replicate and delayed the launch.

But then I guess being "first"(equal) to market and not missing out on a few $$ out weighs the software testing process. If they were wanting to release a (near to) fault free product based on their current processes/requirements the One X would not have hit the market yet.

Also, What happened to updates to other phones? Motorola Milestone for example? The update to FroYo did not happen because Telecom chose not to test or release it.....

I am not bashing Telecom, but I have a awesome phone that is crippled and while the rest of the world (and carriers in NZ) have had the fix we are waiting.

I don't want to have to root my phone to get the update...

jeffnz

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#667916 5-Aug-2012 19:24

Buttonmash: http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=548/ID=17544/SID=727225862/productdetails.html

That's $250 cheaper than retail from 2degrees, Telecom or Vodafone. And it's covered by the CGA.

ahh my apologies I thought you meant buying one overseas, didn't read it properly. Both my S1 and 2 were purchased from parallel importer and had no issues. I buy outright not from telco's and their prices are full retai as they are more interested in your call plan.l

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Dingbatt

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#667984 5-Aug-2012 21:57

jeffnz:
Buttonmash: http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=548/ID=17544/SID=727225862/productdetails.html

That's $250 cheaper than retail from 2degrees, Telecom or Vodafone. ?And it's covered by the CGA.

ahh my apologies I thought you meant buying one overseas, didn't read it properly. Both my S1 ?and 2 were purchased from parallel?importer?and had no issues. I buy outright not from telco's and?their?prices are full retai as they are more interested in your call plan.l

Yes I have to admit the only reason I bought a Telecom One X was because it was on special at $200 less than RRP, and at that time even the import stores still had them for about $130 more. I'll need to chalk it up to experience as my 2 previous Android phones were parallel imported and got WWEs pretty promptly.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

kiwitrc

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#668053 6-Aug-2012 06:51

KiwiTT: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/TelecomTech/8182

Seems strange that Apple is trusted and Android (Google) is not.

This seems to be the final nail in the coffin for Android as a possible 'Smartphone' for me. Looks like I'll get the iPhone 5 (new iPhone) when it comes out soon.

Thought you had already decided to go iPhone? http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=76&TopicId=100024

iPhone is perfect for you I think. Hopefully you shouldn't have to wait much longer for the 5 to come out.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

KiwiTT

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Master Geek

#668058 6-Aug-2012 07:24

Anyone have any info on the 2.x phones released by Telecom, that now can officially run Telecom supported 4.x - just curious.

eXDee

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#668126 6-Aug-2012 10:33

freitasm:
hellonearthisman: Like Wade says, get the updates from the phones provider if you can, they are the ones that build it after all, Telecom is just the standard network it runs on.

Then you have settings like Dormancy, which is used by one network in New Zealand but not the other one. You install a non-branded ROM, or a third-party ROM with the wrong settings, and your battery goes the way of the dodo. Are you going to blame the operator, the manufacturer or yourself who decided to install something without knowing exactly is happening behind the scenes?

Interestingly when i looked through a couple of telecom roms, fast dormancy was still enabled on them despite not being supported. Might not be the case with all phones though.

I wish that they would release a carrier package as such, so that its just loaded on top of the base manufacturer rom rather than the rom having to be fully customized and re released.

Dingbatt

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#668138 6-Aug-2012 10:54

eXDee:
freitasm:
hellonearthisman:?Like Wade says, get the updates from the phones provider if you can, they are the ones that build it after all, Telecom is just the standard network it runs on.

Then you have settings like Dormancy, which is used by one network in New Zealand but not the other one. You install a non-branded ROM, or a third-party ROM with the wrong settings, and your battery goes the way of the dodo. Are you going to blame the operator, the manufacturer or yourself who decided to install something without knowing exactly is happening behind the scenes?

Interestingly when i looked through a couple of telecom roms, fast dormancy was still enabled on them despite not being supported. Might not be the case with all phones though.

I wish that they would release a carrier package as such, so that its just loaded on top of the base manufacturer rom rather than the rom having to be fully customized and re released.

Or give me the option to have my imei registered as a WWE one as long as I acknowledge that I will no longer expect software support from Telecom. That's an easy one because my experience of that kind of support is that it is virtually non-existent. My phone spends very little of its existence on 3G data so I have decided fast dormancy doesn't really become a factor. It seems the only way is going to be the htcdev unlock.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Dingbatt

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#669950 9-Aug-2012 09:43

Firstly, thank you Telecom for providing the 1.29 update for my HTC One X. By my reckoning just over 100 days after the first Unlocked/unbranded handsets received the same firmware package.
Of interest to me is that the Wildfire and Sensation appear to have also received an update on the same day. So I was wondering, are the various networks treated as a 'job lot'? What I mean is, does TelecomNZ approve the firmware for release and then sends it back to HTC, who then schedule server space and send it out? TNZ being a small fish, did they wait until they had a decent load for their servers, hence three HTC types all receiving their updates at the same time.
Either that or as I tongue in cheek suggested in another forum, the person who approves the updates just got back from their sick-leave, sabbatical, Caribbean cruise, etc and spent Wednesday clearing their in-tray.....

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#669952 9-Aug-2012 09:52

Dingbatt: Firstly, thank you Telecom for providing the 1.29 update for my HTC One X. By my reckoning just over 100 days after the first Unlocked/unbranded handsets received the same firmware package.
Of interest to me is that the Wildfire and Sensation appear to have also received an update on the same day. So I was wondering, are the various networks treated as a 'job lot'? What I mean is, does TelecomNZ approve the firmware for release and then sends it back to HTC, who then schedule server space and send it out? TNZ being a small fish, did they wait until they had a decent load for their servers, hence three HTC types all receiving their updates at the same time.
Either that or as I tongue in cheek suggested in another forum, the person who approves the updates just got back from their sick-leave, sabbatical, Caribbean cruise, etc and spent Wednesday clearing their in-tray.....

Most likely, someone went "ohs**t" and told the techs to roll out the firmwares promptly because of all the complaining.

openmedia

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#669987 9-Aug-2012 11:18

Well Samsung Official updates for the S2 have started to go out in the UK to 4.0.4. Nothing for any of our local telecos.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

seightch

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Geek

#670153 9-Aug-2012 15:55

ubergeeknz:
Dingbatt: Firstly, thank you Telecom for providing the 1.29 update for my HTC One X. By my reckoning just over 100 days after the first Unlocked/unbranded handsets received the same firmware package.
Of interest to me is that the Wildfire and Sensation appear to have also received an update on the same day. So I was wondering, are the various networks treated as a 'job lot'? What I mean is, does TelecomNZ approve the firmware for release and then sends it back to HTC, who then schedule server space and send it out? TNZ being a small fish, did they wait until they had a decent load for their servers, hence three HTC types all receiving their updates at the same time.
Either that or as I tongue in cheek suggested in another forum, the person who approves the updates just got back from their sick-leave, sabbatical, Caribbean cruise, etc and spent Wednesday clearing their in-tray.....

Most likely, someone went "ohs**t" and told the techs to roll out the firmwares promptly because of all the complaining.

Seems like there was defiantly some kind of screw up here? I wounder if it was some sort of argument between HTC and Telecom? Doubt we will ever find out.

The worst part of this debacle, is it would appear Telecom were just blatantly lying about it being delayed due to testing.

Wade

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#670238 9-Aug-2012 19:24

I have flashed stock rom (non carrier branded) onto my VFNZ S3, just received OTA update this evening, update released 6th August (UK time) and i now have it two days later so gotta be pretty happy with that

My back stop position is that if I need a VFNZ specific rom due to software issues i will re-install at such time so no real risk

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