Google publishes Nexus device End of Life timetable

[this_is_gav]

"In the meantime, at least we have custom ROMs."

Ah, fond memories, the days of windows mobile 6.5 etc. A person posts a cooked rom:
-43 pages of posts from people loving the rom. The maker is the best ever
-12 pages of comments resolving a few issues
-84 pages of people shouting as it doesn't work

A new rom arrives...
-43 pages of....

STAY AWAY from cooked roms if you'd prefer your phone to work.

Or, if you're that desperate, you could just look to Cyanogenmod which will nearly always just work. You don't need some bedroom-based super-rom if all you want is the latest version of Android at close to stock.

[Mblaster]

According to some, Android could move away from the operators having control of the OS to more of a closed platform where Google can push down the updates themselves, no matter who manufactured the phone. The Android versions in use now are incredibly fragmented and the rate of updates being pushed out by phone manufacturers is glacial. Even with these restrictions Google are better than any of the other manufacturers at getting the updates out to phones.

[Tabbykatze]

Tbh, 2 years seems fine considering the average lifetime of a handset is 18-24 months.

[Xlucine]

I'm sure I read somewhere that 'security patches' were not included in this EOL date.

From the article:

Security patch supply is guaranteed a little longer; for 3 years from availability, or 18 months since the device was last sold on the Google Store – whichever is longer.

[crossy]

Tbh, 2 years seems fine considering the average lifetime of a handset is 18-24 months.

Disagree with you - sure a phone's lifetime is probably as you state, but I don't agree with the idea that you'll only be granted the privilege of the possibility of updates throughout the life of the device if you buy it immediately it goes on sale. That's fine for folks like me who are doing the SIM-free samba, but if you're locked into a contract then it's surely pot luck if contract end coincides with the launch of your replacement device.

Nope, I'm going to side with the folks who insist that three years from launch is a reasonable expectation of device support. Failing that I'd settle for manufacturers being obliged to remove rooting restrictions etc at the end of the two years, so basically users get an EOL update that makes it easier for them to turn to XDA for alternatives.

I was considering a Nexus to replace my LG G3, but if HTC are making them both then I'll give it a miss - totally unimpressed with the "quality" of HTC's products. Besides, Moto's 2016 range looks quite attractive.

[Tabbykatze]

To me, it boils down to product life expectancy and a mobile phones life is very short, statistically and in fact.

It's not like my business' Dell Server which is still in warranty for both bios and software after 4 years of it's working life and believe me, I've worked it to the bone and it's silicon starts crying when I walk in the room. eMC servers have a 10 year life expectancy and have software/hardware warranties to match because those systems are expected to live and work that long. A PC's average lifetime for a standard user is 3-5 years barring any major software/hardware improvements that scrap an entire band of it's technology due to it now being too legacy for it to continue.

These life expectancies and updates are mostly down to "how long has technology of this type lasted and how long is it going to continue to advance before this device is gone". People like yourself are exceptions to this rule who appreciate the technology regardless of how old it is and cherish it for your use of it's lifetime and expect it to match yours.

However, I would much rather have swathes of development manpower set on advancing the operating system for the technology of today and tomorrow than hamstringing development working around hardware that will, not can, not be able to support it either fully or in a way that won't impact a user's experience.

But the tin foil hat in me does believe that some of it is is also down to push timetables and get people to pay money...but hey that's the cynic in me.

[crossy]

But the tin foil hat in me does believe that some of it is is also down to push timetables and get people to pay money...but hey that's the cynic in me.

Agree with what you're saying, but I can't help thinking that Android devices have always been more 'disposable' than their Apple equivalents. That said, Tim Cook's Apple seems to be jumping on that "useless after two years" gravy train too - unfortunately.

Won't someone think of the planet...


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[badass]

3 Years of security patches I can live with. I have a Nexus 5 complete - like most other phones - with built in obsolescence. The battery stopped holding enough charge after 18 months and is non user replaceable so I replaced it. Then 6 months later the power button started playing up. That's supposed to be a motherboard replacement. Fixed that but I don't think it will hold till the end of the year.

That would be enough for me to not bother ever buying a device from that manufacturer again except that every other manufacturer is just as bad.

So I'm looking forward to September this year hoping that the Nexus 5x replacement suffers from no performance regression compared to its predecessor at all. Unlike the Nexus 5x which was no better than the 5. Also hoping it's around the £300 mark or less for a model with at least 32GB Storage.

[lodore]

2 years seems crap for the price you pay for the phones. the main attraction for nexus for me is pure android and timely updates. trying to work out how long a nexus device is supported for is really not easy. my nexus 7 2013 is running Android M with July security patch. look at the support page I am thinking that Android N isnt coming to nexus 7 2013?


I am sort of tempted to move over to apple as least they do provide more of a lifecycle for IOS devices.

[McEwin]

Having just bought a Nexus 5X I'm a little disappointed that it has 15 months left of updates. Rather ignorantly assumed Nexus=Stock OS=Updates forever. My Nexus 4 happily lasted longer than 2 years until I dropped it down the loo... :/

[crossy]

Having just bought a Nexus 5X I'm a little disappointed that it has 15 months left of updates. Rather ignorantly assumed Nexus=Stock OS=Updates forever. My Nexus 4 happily lasted longer than 2 years until I dropped it down the loo... :/

Bought a 5X for my tech hating missus ('it should just work') and have been pretty impressed. Less impressed though that the support life isn't any better than a GS6 etc

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