Android phone updates could get much easier – iOS should learn a thing or two
Android phones have always taken a more laissez-faire approach to new version updates than iOS devices—while iPhones can bug you with annoying notifications and update reminders, Android phones rarely even let you know a new update is available.
However, it sounds like Google is introducing an Android feature to make updating your device easier or more accurate, making it a must-have for all Android phones. Mishaal Rahman – big name in mobile software games – wrote A blog post about Esper (opens in new tab) Said that in Android 13, the seamless update feature will become mandatory.
Seamless updates are a feature that lets new Android version updates download in the background; so your phone doesn’t need to be unusable for long periods of time while it’s downloading (well, except for a brief period of time when it restarts).
The feature was introduced a few years ago, but only available on certain Android phones (like Google’s own Pixels), and many Android phone makers have decided to avoid it. However, this situation will soon change.
According to Rahman, Android 13 requires seamless updates, so any phone maker that creates its own fork of the software (like Samsung’s One UI or OnePlus’ OxygenOS) needs to provide convenient background updates. In theory, that means every new Android phone will have the feature.
The convenience this will bring should encourage more people to update their Android phones – in fact, the device has stopped working, and update downloads will likely keep many phone users from getting the latest version of the OS, meaning they miss out on Learn about all the new features and security patches that come with such updates.
Analysis: iOS can learn a thing or two
So it sounds like Android updates will become more convenient, and if this Android 13 feature passes, getting future updates may require very little input from you.
Apple could really learn something from this and apply a similar approach to iOS; because upgrading to a newer version can be annoying.
The company’s devices like to nudge you to update, often promising that they’ll automatically update overnight when your device is plugged in, but then not delivering. iOS updates can also take a very long time.
Apple needs to follow Google’s lead and make updates easier – sure, its nagging ensures people do get new iOS versions quickly, but there has to be a less annoying way to keep the best iPhones up to date.
