In a recent amendment to the release policy of Android OS, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has added a few lines, which provide the company a security blanket to safeguard itself from any blame later on if and when carriers decide to delay providing an update to the installed version of Android OS.
The new policy, which has not been publicized by Google at all, has effectively removed the time frame that carriers may take to deliver the update on their versions of the Nexus phones/tablets. In the old policy, it was simply stated that the new Android OS update will take a maximum of two weeks to reach Nexus devices. The new policy has another clause, adding that Nexus devices bought from carriers may receive the update at a much later, depending on the carrier.
Google Nexus is a world renowned product, and one which is known for its stock Android OS versions. The Nexus phone/tablet is the first to get an Android OS update over all other phones and devices that are running modified version of the Android OS. This, combined with the Google brand name, makes Nexus one of the most famous phone/tablet brands in the world.
There are two types of phones through which Android OS is released; the Nexus and the Google Play edition phones. The Nexus version comes directly from Google and has no third party involvement into its making. Hence, to download an Android update, users of the Nexus simply download it off of Google. The Google Inc. Play edition phones are those which are managed by the same companies that have manufactured the devices, i.e. Samsung, HTC, etc. These phones receive the update in a timely manner as well, right after their manufacturers release a modified version suitable for them.
However, now the Android update may not come as quickly as it did before, especially for those users who’ve acquired their phones through carriers. The latest clause added into the release policy says that Nexus phones acquired through carriers may not get the Android update for even more than two weeks, which is the maximum time limit the company allows for devices bought directly from the device manufacturers.
No clear reason for such a statement has been released by Google. However, analysts have presumed the clause has been added to avoid any clashes between carriers and consumers of Nexus devices. The kinds of delay the new clause alludes to are those which are caused due to network disconnection. Carriers usually provide updates over-the-air, and in case it fails to do so due to poor network connectivity, the new update may not reach the phones for more than two weeks.
This does not mean users cannot manually update their Android phone. As soon as an update is available with the carrier selling the phone, users can update by downloading the update and then installing it on to their phones.
However, it is still best if the Nexus phone is bought directly from Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Play store, without the involvement of any carrier whatsoever. This is true especially if you are impatient as far as Android updates are concerned, and simply refuse to wait another day after they become available the world over.