As I sit here using the Verizon Wireless DROID Incredible I can’t help but love Android. If not for the uncanny ability to multitask my applications at ease, but for the ingenious pull down notification alerts which give me total control over my smartphone. Sure there is still a long way to go and I get my fair share of force close application warnings, but with each version of Android the improvements far exceed the bugs. It’s hard to believe that less than 2 years ago we began the Android journey and now code names such as Cupcake, Donut, Eclair and now Froyo are part of our vocabulary. The latter of those code names, Froyo, has the Android community on its heels for a possible two to five times increase in performance with our existing hardware compared to Android 2.1. While using the DROID Incredible has me excited about Froyo I can’t help, but wonder what if any future remains for devices like the G1, myTouch 3G and Hero. Has Android followed the path of Windows Mobile through select device updates and ultimately left some devices behind?

For all the reasons that I despise Apple’s iPhone there is one aspect I truly envy as an Android owner – worldwide synchronized software updates.  With over 20 Android handsets in the world today and now four versions of Android, it is clear that a single update to Android which can be delivered worldwide is not possible.  As more and more Android devices are released how much wider will the gap become in the release of Android updates.  If we look back on Android 2.1 which was introduced with the Nexus One, it took 3 months for the Motorola DROID to receive the update and another 3 months for the Hero and Samsung Moment.  It’s hard to tell whether Google is playing favorites with certain devices or if HTC’s Sense UI really requires additional handling to warrant delays.  If Sense was really the culprit then why did the Samsung Moment receive an update around the same time as the Sprint HTC Hero?

My love hate relationship with Windows Mobile stemmed from a very similar situation where software updates were sporadic and the majority of update information came from leaks and forum posts.  I left Windows Mobile for Android to escape the update nightmares and to enjoy the fruits of an open OS.  Now that I’ve had nearly 2 years of experience with Android devices my biggest fear is that I will need to choose my next device based on whether or not I believe Google will prioritize it’s updates.  As of today we know that the Motorola Droid will be updated to Android 2.2 in the coming weeks while the Desire and EVO will be updated in the second half of 2010.  Does this mean that all Sense UI devices will be 6 months behind the Nexus One for all future updates?  What happens to the Android legacy devices – is the G1 cursed?

I believe Android users deserve answers on the updates direct from Google and not dependent upon questioning PR teams for manufacturers.  Fair warning is not too much to ask and if a six month delay is going to become typical because I enjoy Sense far more than the standard Android UI then I think it’s time Google considers purchasing the UI or at least incorporates some of the styling into the vanilla Android build.  My question to fellow Android users is do you feel confident in the future of your device and how much would synchronized Android updates change your experience?

In 2007 when the world was first introduced to the Open Handset Alliance and their goal of developing open standards for mobile devices we were thrilled.  Quickly thereafter the OHA’s first product was unveiled, Android, a mobile device platform with the goal of reinventing the smartphone landscape.  Now that Google has been able to develop Android into arguably one of the best mobile platforms on the market we begin to wonder whether they’ll be able to quickly deliver software updates to so many devices across the world.

The worries of Google delaying software updates stems from the release of a single device, the Motorola Droid.  Being the first device to ship with Google’s Android 2.0 OS, existing owners of Android devices immediately wanted to know when their device would see such an update.  Up until Android 2.0, all builds of the mobile platform had been open source and under an Apache License.  At this point Android 2.0 remains a closed source OS and there has been no official word on whether this will change.

Up until this point in the U.S., T-mobile has been the front runner in the Android campaign since they were one of the first members of the OHA in 2007.  Google has done a good job pushing software updates to both devices over the air albeit with a few hiccups.  The reason for this success is that both devices are ‘Google Experience’ phones which basically means Google controls all aspects of the software resulting in a default Android build.  Theoretically this means that ‘Google Experience’ devices will be the first to receive updates and all other Android-powered devices will require customization from their respective manufacturers.

As it stands today, HTC is focused on driving their Sense User Interface into the Android platform.  Motorola has also realized the power of a fresh UI on Android with MOTOBLUR.  This method of unique branding which results in what we consider a superior Android experience comes at the cost of delayed OS updates.   You can see this first hand with the mysterious Android 1.6 update that never hit the HTC Hero which is now reported to receive the Android 2.0 update in the the near future.  Does this mean that non-Google Experience devices will miss smaller Android updates and instead only be updated to major versions?  If Google needs to release and updated build of Android to address security concerns will we really have to wait until Sense UI can be compatible?

These questions are being echoed throughout the Android community, but an even bigger question is on my mind.  Is Google looking to power play Android 2.0 so wireless carriers can lure customers through exclusive devices and first access to OS builds?  Congress is working on eliminating exclusivity deals between manufacturers and wireless carriers so exclusive access to mobile platforms seems to be the likely evolution.  When the Motorola Droid for Verizon Wireless was released last week and it became the first and only Android 2.0 device on the market I began to seriously doubt whether Google would be able to deliver timely updates of Android to so many devices.

There are not many reasons to want an iPhone once you have the Motorola Droid, but if there is anything that Google and the OHA can take away from Apple’s strategy it is the consistency and availability of software updates.  All devices receive their updates on the same day world wide and no device is left behind.  The current position of Android is becoming very similar to Windows Mobile where certain devices receive updates and it all ultimately relies on the carrier for your device to deliver that update.  This is not the Android I signed up for two years ago and I hope that this is not the Android of the future.

The massive marketing blitz by Verizon Wireless over the past couple weeks has finally paid off for Motorola and the wireless carrier.  Early reports indicate that over 100,000 Motorola Droids were sold over the opening weekend.  Despite the higher upfront cost of $299 before $100 mail-in rebate, the Droid was able to sell a large volume of units amid rumors that Apple would be releasing a low-cost 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99.  One thing is for certain at this point, Motorola and Verizon have put together an excellent device thanks to Google’s Android OS and it should not be long before we reach the 1 million unit mark.  Viva la droid my friends, Android is here to stay.

[Via Bloomberg]

WiFi certification is just one step in the arduous process of device certification, but if the rumors are correct today we have a quite a treat for Samsung enthusiasts.  The Samsung i6500 Saturn, the 5th Samsung Android device, has just been spotted on the WiFi certification site.  The device is rumored to be running Android 1.5, feature a 3.2-inch touchscreen and powered by an 800MHz processor similar to the Galaxy Spica.  While the news is mostly speculation at this point, the Dutch website Tweakers is confident in their prediction so we’ll entertain the idea for the time being.

[via]

Although the PR route is proper etiquette for uncovered details on devices it usually ends up leaving you asking the same questions as when you started when you are hunting for specifics like release dates.  Such is the case for T-mobile’s release of the new Android 2.0 OS, Eclair.  Our friends at TmoNews went on a bit of a treasure hunting expedition this weekend trying to pinpoint a release date for Android 2.0 updates for the T-mobile G1, myTouch 3G, Motorola CLIQ and this is what they found.

When asked if T-mobile Android handsets would get the Eclair update they were told that T-mobile is coordinating with Google to deliver the software and they will let them know when they have more details to share.  When asked if the CLIQ will get the 2.0 update they recommended it was better to contact Motorola since they have no announcements on software updates at this time.

The only good news that came from the probing with T-mobile PR is that since the G1 and myTouch 3G are Google Experience devices they will be getting Android 2.0 for sure.  myTouch 3G owners will receive their update OTA thanks to sufficient internal storage, but G1 owners might have to download the update off the computer depending on the file size.  Although you might have a memory card in your G1, a OTA software update could not be released for the G1 under the assumption that everyone with a G1 has a similar sized memory card.

[via]

Talk about a way to ruin Halloween Droidfanatics, Peter Chou the president of HTC has confirmed today that there will be no Android version of the HTC HD2.  We have seen images of a rumored Android HTC HD2 set to launch on Verizon Wireless as the third device in their Droid series, but apparently the HD2 is not that device.  We will not completely dismiss this possibility just yet simply based on the prior track record of manufacturers confirming and denying devices, but we can’t say we aren’t a bit disappointed.   Hopefully this is just a PR spin tactic that will allow HTC to avoid confrontation with Microsoft and iron out their future with Google’s Android operating system.

[via]

Verizon failed to mention the Droid Eris (HTC Eris) at their press event yesterday where the Motorola Droid took center stage.  This has not stopped the latest flurry of Internet rumors from pinpointing a price point for the Eris, $99 on 2-year service agreement after applicable mail-in rebates.  This would make the Droid Eris the cheapest Android-based handset available in the US.  At this point we are fairly confident that the Droid Eris will run either Android 1.5 or 1.6 since the first device with Android 2.0 will be the Moto Droid and it will feature the 528MHz processor we’ve seen in all other Android devices up until this point (Moment and Droid excluded).  If the November 6th release date is accurate it will be very interesting how they market the Eris.  Maybe they’ll just sell the Eris to anyone coming in for the Droid and realizing they didn’t want to spend $299.99 plus tax upfront, we’ll see soon.

[via]

The WiFi Alliance website is second to the Bluetooth SIG website in tipping gadget geeks like myself on impending device launches.  This morning LeakDroid has noticed that a new Motorola handset has just received their WiFi certificate, but what could this device be?  Well for starters the product is listed as MB501 which suggests a higher-end device line than the product numbers of the Motorola CLIQ and DEXT (MB200/MB300).  The Motorola Droid (Sholes) and Droid Eris for Verizon Wireless are prepping to launch within the next week give or take a day so an October 27th WiFi certificate does not seem likely.  This leaves us with two other possibilities, the QWERTY Motorola Calgary or the dual-mode Motorola Zeppelin.  At this point it is far too early to tell, but if the device product number is used on the FCC database we will have device confirmation in no time so stay tuned.

This evening a foreign website is reporting that Google might be gearing up to release their own brand of mobile phones.  Rather than using Motorola, Samsung or Dell, Google will focus on their own brand much like Apple and the iPhone, but even take things a step further by bypassing the national carriers and selling the phone without contract.  The website claims that this is all part of Google’s focus on the new generation of open standards designed to bring mobile Internet devices to consumers.  With the current limitations mobile carriers enforce with exclusive devices it makes more sense for Google to embody the the open standards by selling the device direct to the consumer instead of forcing them to be at the mercy of their current wireless carrier.

So what do we know about this alleged Google brand of Android phones?  Well the focus of the project will be centered around the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform with an overall goal of delivering open, low-cost network-friendly touch-screen devices.  Maybe those classic renderings of the original Google Phone have a bit more credibility now that Android has established itself as a player in the smartphone market.

[via]

Rumors are spreading amongst Navigation Service Provider like Tele Atlas who fear that Google is gearing up to release a free ad-support Navigation App that will deliver stand-alone quality GPS guidance.  Yes this means lane assist, voice-guided directions and all the bells and whistles you’ve grown to expect from your TomTom or Garmin navigation units.  With their own US maps and an updated version of Google Maps, Google could essentially eliminate all third parties and become a navigation powerhouse.  It looks like Android has just gained some leverage in the smartphone world if these rumors prove true.

[via]