Google event 2016 Oct 4

Forums › Android › Google event 2016 Oct 4

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

gzt

18679 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7820

Lifetime subscriber

#1646017 5-Oct-2016 16:41

With Apple you know its 3+ years of iOS updates and you get them at release.

The Motorola G phones more or less meet that standard. It is a very vanilla Android.

Also the LG users seem happy about updates.

But yeah I don't fully understand why it's taking Google so long to innovate on the architecture to allow updates like the Windows phones did. It is not entirely a software thing and obviously they have to bring manufacturers with them. Maybe their own silicon is a step towards that. No doubt the roadmap is there.

The other side is the vast majority of users don't care and Android is very successful in the market. Compared to the phones Android replaced it is still a massive win for Google.

gzt

18679 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7820

Lifetime subscriber

#1646023 5-Oct-2016 16:45

A new VR/Phone headset announced. Eliminates alignment issues. Launch in November.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/10/daydream-vr-hands-on-googles-dumb-vr-headset-is-actually-very-clever/

dafman

4054 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2652

Trusted

#1646035 5-Oct-2016 17:02

Kopkiwi:

richms:

The speakers are only preorder from walmart and bestbuy at the moment, target had no listing for them.

I will probably do the google store route when they appear for order on it and hope they have enough for demand.

Well if the phones are anything to go buy you won't have a problem. Still heaps of stock of those, good indication how badly this phone is DOA, all previous Nexus phones have sold out without in minutes.

Around the web the new phones are getting great press, price being the only negative factor.

So you may be in a minority with DOA and generally being down on the phone.

dafman

4054 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2652

Trusted

#1646036 5-Oct-2016 17:04

matisyahu:

The Android ecosystem is looking pretty depressing at the moment:

1) Samsung being Samsung with its crapware.

2) HTC is non-existent in New Zealand.

3) Google can't even be bothered offering Pixel Phone to New Zealanders.

4) LG and Huawei lagging because like Samsung they throw customers under the bus 6 months after releasing a phone via the lack of prompt updates.

Any word on whether 2 Degrees/Noel Leeming/Someone bringing Pixel to New Zealand or is this another example of NZ getting the sort end of the stick?

It will come. We are a tiny subset of global demand, so no great shakes that we are not immediately there on day one.

dafman

4054 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2652

Trusted

#1646039 5-Oct-2016 17:08

tripp:

And this is the problem with android.

All the OEM's (samsung, sony etc) have created their only little versions of android which makes it very hard to upgrade, the likes of samsung don't want to keep releasing updates as there is no money in it for them anymore after the phone has been purchased.

The way I see it having to happen is the following:

OEM's start a monthly fee for timely updates to phones (I am talking 30 days or less for android updates). This way income keeps coming in after the phone is sold.

OEM's break away from google and start their own android/linux branch or switch to their own OS (i.e samsung tizen).

Google gets into hardware/software and build the brand before trying to do an apple and out price themselves.

Google locks down android so OEM's can only update "Value added services" (i.e. their OEM skins, launchers etc) and core android is updated by google.

Stay as it is now and customer be damned

It's really getting to the point now of if i buy from "x company" how long will they support updates, how fast will they update after a release etc, will they start leaving things out of updates when a new product has been released (looking at samsung for not updating the AOD on the s7 edge to match the note).

With Apple you know its 3+ years of iOS updates and you get them at release.

For years people have been complaining about fractured updates for Android. Now you don't have to worry about it. If timely OS updates are important for you, buy a pixel. They will be automatically applied in background when released and implemented at next re-boot. That's even better than iPhone, their updates need to be manually applied.

dafman

4054 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2652

Trusted

#1646100 5-Oct-2016 19:02

Google were on a hiding to nothing on Pixel pricing. If they had launched lower than iPhone, then lifted prices at a later date, everyone would have complained. So best to get it over and done with now.

I'm very excited about today. Google have announced entry into the premium hardware space and will finally be taking Apple on head-to-head. Premium kit, seamless integrated software experience, timely OS updates across all Pixel phones. Yes, it will take time to build brand awareness, but it will come. And it will be exciting to see how they differentiate in hardware and software experience over time. Google assistant is in its early days, but looks very promising.

So, yes, I'm in! (next year when I retire my S7).

And, yes, I understand the faithful Nexus followers disappointment. but you always have OnePlus to turn to (-;

Lenovo

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

PhantomNVD

2619 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 759
Inactive user

#1646152 5-Oct-2016 20:58

dafman:
For years people have been complaining about fractured updates for Android. Now you don't have to worry about it. If timely OS updates are important for you, buy a pixel. They will be automatically applied in background when released and implemented at next re-boot. That's even better than iPhone, their updates need to be manually applied.

Queue the outrage when people reboot their phones and are unexpectedly presented with a whole new (unfamiliar/unasked/unsuspected) OS and they're clueless how to do some things they could do before...

Apples 'predownloaded' "upgrade is available" is IMHO the best balance in this scenario, you only upgrade if you WANT to and even have a few weeks to downgrade if it doesn't suit (like many iPhone 5 users now passing on crippling their (older) phones with IOS 10...

gzt

18679 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7820

Lifetime subscriber

#1646220 5-Oct-2016 21:49

The initial high pricing gives some room for carriers to make it an attractive service bundle option.

I wonder if they will keep 5x in production and take some of the lower end market?

nurcopolics

144 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 8

#1646351 6-Oct-2016 08:28

Ive created a separate forum ID for those interested in Google Home:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=4&topicid=204538

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5