Malware also continues to be more prevalent in Google Play than Apple's app store. Somewhere between 2 and 9 million downloads of "Bad News" SMS malware recently according to Ars. While perhaps not very many relative to the number total Android community it still is another black mark when comparing to iOS. This one was reportedly not Google's fault but I doubt those affected care. Fair or not it adds to the perception that malware is a problem.
Edit: Sorry for not mentioning how this ties in to prompt updates to the latest Android versions. Those running 4.x Android have little danger from SMS malware.
That's not really the issue. The issue is, that Apple's system is either broken, or intentionally set up such that minor mistakes require you to buy new hardware if you want to retain the same functionality.
Oh please. Get off your soapbox. By your rational, I should be p!ssed that a reset of my old Palm Pilot will forever remove my apps too.
Totally not comparable. With PalmOS you download the apps from anywhere, they don't have DRM other than maybe a license key, and you have to manage the apps yourself. Even if you deleted the apps, you can get the app from someone else, enter your license key after reinstalling it, and you're good to go. And of course, you still should have your original download, download link, or could ask the app vendor to resend you the version. None of that works with iOS apps, because it's AppStore or nothing (unless it's a jail-broken device, and even then that would only work if you were to use pirated apps or apps which someone bought and someone removed the DRM from for future use on other devices by people who bought them and are in a pickle)
With the AppStore model, there is no way to re-download the app you had, and the entire app management is automated by iTunes, so unless you're a power user, it's difficult to go back, even if you do have a backup somewhere. Also, even if someone else has the app, you can't use it on your device, because of the DRM system. So you're totally stuck, while you're not stuck at all in the Palm example.
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
No Wireless Company or Smartphone company - other than Apple - is interested in updating the operating system on smartphones because it costs a lot of money to do so. And the customer will never give them any money again to do so anyway.
But the actual solution for Wireless Companies is to simply FORCE customers to upgrade to new phones when their 2 year contract is up or do so even more frequently or FORCE customers to pay for software upgrades. This way, the Wireless Companies and Smartphone companies are paid for doing the work of upgrading.
Of course consumers will be aghast at the new cost of Android Phones.
It is odd they did not name Google, HTC, Samsung, LG and Sony as well. This is primarily the fault of Google that rushed the design of Android so they did not get the ability to update Android as needed. For proof, look to MS and Windows that shows it is very possible to design a component based OS supplied by multiple hardware vendors and provide centralized updates. Google simply took the cheap and easy way out and never considered updates as part of the feature set of Android.
Is this a joke? Nexus branded devices (aka. the 'pure' Google devices) get updated to every new OS version when it's released.
It's only the OEM modded models that have delayed OS updates...
Im sure this has happened to you and it's frustrating, but I do not believe that Apple and developers can be held responsible for 3 year-old apps. I had a 3GS until just a few months ago and finally upgraded to the 5. The 3GS was on IOS 6 and worked fine and all of my original apps, including the oldest worked until I changed phones. This may be problematic for a small percentage that have not upgraded their OS, but I feel sincerely that it is not law suit material. In reply to RCFA's thoughts.
Why can't OEMs push updates directly to Android? Why are the carriers involved at all?
If we look at the comparable (ish) iOS versions to those main 3 Android versions we get Gingerbread (2010) [iOS4], ICS (2011) [iOS5] & Jelly Bean (2012) [iOS6], none of the rest have made any significant impact, so to pretend any developments between have meant anything at all (so far including 4.2) would be fallacious. If nearly half of iOS devices ran iOS4, from nearly three years ago, 5&6 would be seen as complete flops. Indeed, if Apple sold mainly iPhone 4 units as would be equivalent to Samsung, how would that fare with pundits? Google and OEMs deserve strong criticism for these clear failings, but... well, we'd all asphyxiate, put it that way.
Totally not comparable. With PalmOS you download the apps from anywhere, they don't have DRM other than maybe a license key, and you have to manage the apps yourself. Even if you deleted the apps, you can get the app from someone else, enter your license key after reinstalling it, and you're good to go. And of course, you still should have your original download, download link, or could ask the app vendor to resend you the version. None of that works with iOS apps, because it's AppStore or nothing (unless it's a jail-broken device, and even then that would only work if you were to use pirated apps or apps which someone bought and someone removed the DRM from for future use on other devices by people who bought them and are in a pickle)
With the AppStore model, there is no way to re-download the app you had, and the entire app management is automated by iTunes, so unless you're a power user, it's difficult to go back, even if you do have a backup somewhere. Also, even if someone else has the app, you can't use it on your device, because of the DRM system. So you're totally stuck, while you're not stuck at all in the Palm example.
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
Not having the ability to download the same app that is compatible with your old hardware is not Apple's problem. If anything, it is the "problem" of that app developer, if even that.
If I as an app developer come out with a new release, it is my decision (not Apple's) to make in terms of OS compatibility. I the developer will decide "iOS 5 is just too confining and I don't want to support that anymore, therefore I will make a new version that takes advantage of all the new API's, rendering my old apps obsolete."
Apple so-called "planned-obsolescene" is a tired argument and I'm surprised folks still bring it up. You want to continue using a 1st-gen iPad or 3GS, go right ahead and more power to you. However, don't come back crying as to why the developer (not Apple) doesn't allow you to re-download old apps. You need to accept that and move on. That is the nature of the tech industry.
Don't worry about Android too much. The high end devices are quite consistently running the latest major version (4.x in this case).
I'm not worried about Android & said 'so few', meaning Nexus only / mostly. We all know the vast majority of Android h/sets cannot be upgraded, or if they can it's only to the next release, as has been mentioned numerous times before.
On a slightly different track, I have to laugh when Android users say iPhones / iOS is getting outdated & left behind, we can update the OS for several years no problem, unlike the vast majority of Android users. Hell, here in the UK we even have networks & shops advertising old Galaxy Ace models etc as the latest smartphones you can play games, email etc on for just xx a month, or they bundle either tablets / consoles / tv's with them for free or at reduced cost, again on contact. I'd say it's obvious they have old unsold stocks of phones & tablets they are desperate to try & shift.
And you think the hundreds of millions of Android users affected by fragmentation and don't receive major operating system updates is comparable to the minority of people who use a five year old device, are either unwilling or can't afford to upgrade, and can't run a few apps?
Are these the kind of people that either Apple or developers would consider worth supporting anyway?
Do you think it's good business strategy to spend time and resources on a minority of customers who don't spend?
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
You're not going to mention the dollar getting ratcheted up by inflation and losing functionality shortly, are you?
Or the human race ratcheting up a version with new kids while the older versions lose functionality?
Everyone knows there's malware on Android, but for the most part it just hides out in the seedier back alleys of the OS. You're only likely to run into it if you start side-loading pirated apps, or frequenting sketchy unofficial app stores. But a newly uncovered family of malware—fittingly called "BadNews"—was just chillin' in Google Play, and has been downloaded somewhere between two and nine million times. In other words, a whole lot.
Sweet! I can't believe I'm missing this type of action on iOS. Malware just chilling in the Google Play store, no biggie. All it does is steal your phone # and serial #.
Im sure this has happened to you and it's frustrating, but I do not believe that Apple and developers can be held responsible for 3 year-old apps. I had a 3GS until just a few months ago and finally upgraded to the 5. The 3GS was on IOS 6 and worked fine and all of my original apps, including the oldest worked until I changed phones. This may be problematic for a small percentage that have not upgraded their OS, but I feel sincerely that it is not law suit material. In reply to RCFA's thoughts.
He's talking about the 3G, which turns 5 in a couple of months.
Which Android phones were around then?
I think they ran donut.
I cannot get Facebook Home on my Nexus 4, for the simple fact that Facebook Home is US only.
Sweet! I can't believe I'm missing this type of action on iOS. Malware just chilling in the Google Play store, no biggie. All it does is steal your phone # and serial #.
Oh, stop it. There is iOS malware too (just google for it), here is one example:
The 1st one (although I actually think that happened much earlier) in late 2012 compared to a plethora of data stealing apps from Google Play nee Android Market from the start. That's the problem with trolls: no concept of gradation, it's either all or nothing. They are to excellence what Prosopagnosianists are to faces.
Comments
Edit: Sorry for not mentioning how this ties in to prompt updates to the latest Android versions. Those running 4.x Android have little danger from SMS malware.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sflocal
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfa
That's not really the issue. The issue is, that Apple's system is either broken, or intentionally set up such that minor mistakes require you to buy new hardware if you want to retain the same functionality.
Oh please. Get off your soapbox. By your rational, I should be p!ssed that a reset of my old Palm Pilot will forever remove my apps too.
Totally not comparable. With PalmOS you download the apps from anywhere, they don't have DRM other than maybe a license key, and you have to manage the apps yourself. Even if you deleted the apps, you can get the app from someone else, enter your license key after reinstalling it, and you're good to go. And of course, you still should have your original download, download link, or could ask the app vendor to resend you the version. None of that works with iOS apps, because it's AppStore or nothing (unless it's a jail-broken device, and even then that would only work if you were to use pirated apps or apps which someone bought and someone removed the DRM from for future use on other devices by people who bought them and are in a pickle)
With the AppStore model, there is no way to re-download the app you had, and the entire app management is automated by iTunes, so unless you're a power user, it's difficult to go back, even if you do have a backup somewhere. Also, even if someone else has the app, you can't use it on your device, because of the DRM system. So you're totally stuck, while you're not stuck at all in the Palm example.
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
No Wireless Company or Smartphone company - other than Apple - is interested in updating the operating system on smartphones because it costs a lot of money to do so. And the customer will never give them any money again to do so anyway.
But the actual solution for Wireless Companies is to simply FORCE customers to upgrade to new phones when their 2 year contract is up or do so even more frequently or FORCE customers to pay for software upgrades. This way, the Wireless Companies and Smartphone companies are paid for doing the work of upgrading.
Of course consumers will be aghast at the new cost of Android Phones.
And Apple stands to benefit tremendously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven N.
It is odd they did not name Google, HTC, Samsung, LG and Sony as well. This is primarily the fault of Google that rushed the design of Android so they did not get the ability to update Android as needed. For proof, look to MS and Windows that shows it is very possible to design a component based OS supplied by multiple hardware vendors and provide centralized updates. Google simply took the cheap and easy way out and never considered updates as part of the feature set of Android.
Is this a joke? Nexus branded devices (aka. the 'pure' Google devices) get updated to every new OS version when it's released.
It's only the OEM modded models that have delayed OS updates...
Im sure this has happened to you and it's frustrating, but I do not believe that Apple and developers can be held responsible for 3 year-old apps. I had a 3GS until just a few months ago and finally upgraded to the 5. The 3GS was on IOS 6 and worked fine and all of my original apps, including the oldest worked until I changed phones. This may be problematic for a small percentage that have not upgraded their OS, but I feel sincerely that it is not law suit material. In reply to RCFA's thoughts.
Golly,I guess we should all just go hide under the bed.
If we look at the comparable (ish) iOS versions to those main 3 Android versions we get Gingerbread (2010) [iOS4], ICS (2011) [iOS5] & Jelly Bean (2012) [iOS6], none of the rest have made any significant impact, so to pretend any developments between have meant anything at all (so far including 4.2) would be fallacious. If nearly half of iOS devices ran iOS4, from nearly three years ago, 5&6 would be seen as complete flops. Indeed, if Apple sold mainly iPhone 4 units as would be equivalent to Samsung, how would that fare with pundits? Google and OEMs deserve strong criticism for these clear failings, but... well, we'd all asphyxiate, put it that way.
Can you show me a phone still sold with gingerbread in America? I searched and couldn't find one.
One has to wonder if Samsung is actually behind the stock shorting...
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfa
Totally not comparable. With PalmOS you download the apps from anywhere, they don't have DRM other than maybe a license key, and you have to manage the apps yourself. Even if you deleted the apps, you can get the app from someone else, enter your license key after reinstalling it, and you're good to go. And of course, you still should have your original download, download link, or could ask the app vendor to resend you the version. None of that works with iOS apps, because it's AppStore or nothing (unless it's a jail-broken device, and even then that would only work if you were to use pirated apps or apps which someone bought and someone removed the DRM from for future use on other devices by people who bought them and are in a pickle)
With the AppStore model, there is no way to re-download the app you had, and the entire app management is automated by iTunes, so unless you're a power user, it's difficult to go back, even if you do have a backup somewhere. Also, even if someone else has the app, you can't use it on your device, because of the DRM system. So you're totally stuck, while you're not stuck at all in the Palm example.
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
Not having the ability to download the same app that is compatible with your old hardware is not Apple's problem. If anything, it is the "problem" of that app developer, if even that.
If I as an app developer come out with a new release, it is my decision (not Apple's) to make in terms of OS compatibility. I the developer will decide "iOS 5 is just too confining and I don't want to support that anymore, therefore I will make a new version that takes advantage of all the new API's, rendering my old apps obsolete."
Apple so-called "planned-obsolescene" is a tired argument and I'm surprised folks still bring it up. You want to continue using a 1st-gen iPad or 3GS, go right ahead and more power to you. However, don't come back crying as to why the developer (not Apple) doesn't allow you to re-download old apps. You need to accept that and move on. That is the nature of the tech industry.
I guess it's one advantage computer companies have over phone companies: long established systems and procedures for rolling out software updates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by igriv
Don't worry about Android too much. The high end devices are quite consistently running the latest major version (4.x in this case).
I'm not worried about Android & said 'so few', meaning Nexus only / mostly. We all know the vast majority of Android h/sets cannot be upgraded, or if they can it's only to the next release, as has been mentioned numerous times before.
On a slightly different track, I have to laugh when Android users say iPhones / iOS is getting outdated & left behind, we can update the OS for several years no problem, unlike the vast majority of Android users. Hell, here in the UK we even have networks & shops advertising old Galaxy Ace models etc as the latest smartphones you can play games, email etc on for just xx a month, or they bundle either tablets / consoles / tv's with them for free or at reduced cost, again on contact. I'd say it's obvious they have old unsold stocks of phones & tablets they are desperate to try & shift.
And you think the hundreds of millions of Android users affected by fragmentation and don't receive major operating system updates is comparable to the minority of people who use a five year old device, are either unwilling or can't afford to upgrade, and can't run a few apps?
Are these the kind of people that either Apple or developers would consider worth supporting anyway?
Do you think it's good business strategy to spend time and resources on a minority of customers who don't spend?
Microsoft doesn't think so.
Samsung doesn't think so.
Hell, Google themselves don't think so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfa
This isn't about devices eventually not being upgraded, this is about devices LOSING functionality because of how the AppStore model ratchets versions upwards, even for devices that can't follow the new version.
You're not going to mention the dollar getting ratcheted up by inflation and losing functionality shortly, are you?
Or the human race ratcheting up a version with new kids while the older versions lose functionality?
Life.
It's probably best to try and adapt to it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazy_mac_lover
Nobody cares . It won't affect Google revenue . All people care is the display physcial size .
phabulous!
Even more Android awesomeness! What an incredible OS! Open!!
http://gizmodo.com/5995139/this-family-of-data+stealing-android-malware-got-downloaded-from-google-play-millions-of-times
Quote:
Everyone knows there's malware on Android, but for the most part it just hides out in the seedier back alleys of the OS. You're only likely to run into it if you start side-loading pirated apps, or frequenting sketchy unofficial app stores. But a newly uncovered family of malware—fittingly called "BadNews"—was just chillin' in Google Play, and has been downloaded somewhere between two and nine million times. In other words, a whole lot.
Sweet! I can't believe I'm missing this type of action on iOS. Malware just chilling in the Google Play store, no biggie. All it does is steal your phone # and serial #.
He's talking about the 3G, which turns 5 in a couple of months.
Which Android phones were around then?
I think they ran donut.
I cannot get Facebook Home on my Nexus 4, for the simple fact that Facebook Home is US only.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slurpy
Even more Android awesomeness! What an incredible OS! Open!!
http://gizmodo.com/5995139/this-family-of-data+stealing-android-malware-got-downloaded-from-google-play-millions-of-times
Sweet! I can't believe I'm missing this type of action on iOS. Malware just chilling in the Google Play store, no biggie. All it does is steal your phone # and serial #.
Oh, stop it. There is iOS malware too (just google for it), here is one example:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/07/06/first-ios-malware-hits-app-store/
Originally Posted by igriv
There is iOS malware too (just google for it), here is one example:
Both Apple and Google have now removed the app from their respective app stores.
Funny.
The 1st one (although I actually think that happened much earlier) in late 2012 compared to a plethora of data stealing apps from Google Play nee Android Market from the start. That's the problem with trolls: no concept of gradation, it's either all or nothing. They are to excellence what Prosopagnosianists are to faces.