Google provides major incremental upgrades to Android every six to nine months, with confectionery-themed names, which most devices are capable of receiving over the air.[101] The latest major release is Android 6.0 "Marshmallow".
Compared to its primary rival mobile operating system, iOS, Android updates typically reach various devices with significant delays. For devices not under the Nexus brand, updates often arrive months from the time the given version is officially released, if at all.[102] This is partly due to the extensive variation in hardware
of Android devices, to which each upgrade must be specifically
tailored, as the official Google source code only runs on their flagship
Nexus devices. Porting
Android to specific hardware is a time- and resource-consuming process
for device manufacturers, who prioritize their newest devices and often
leave older ones behind.[102]
Hence, older smartphones are frequently not updated if the manufacturer
decides it is not worth their time, regardless of whether the phone is
capable of running the update. This problem is compounded when
manufacturers customize Android with their own interface and apps, which
must be reapplied to each new release. Additional delays can be
introduced by wireless carriers who, after receiving updates from
manufacturers, further customize and brand Android to their needs and
conduct extensive testing on their networks before sending the upgrade
out to users.[102]
The lack of after-sale support from manufacturers and carriers has
been widely criticized by consumer groups and the technology media.[103][104]
Some commentators have noted that the industry has a financial
incentive not to upgrade their devices, as the lack of updates for
existing devices fuels the purchase of newer ones,[105] an attitude described as "insulting".[104] The Guardian
has complained that the method of distribution for updates is
complicated only because manufacturers and carriers have designed it
that way.[104]
In 2011, Google partnered with a number of industry players to announce
an "Android Update Alliance", pledging to deliver timely updates for
every device for 18 months after its release;[106] however, there has not been another official word about that alliance since its announcement.[102][107]
In 2012, Google began decoupling certain aspects of the operating
system (particularly core applications) so they could be updated through
Google Play Store, independently of Android itself. One of these components, Google Play Services, is a closed-source system-level process providing APIs
for Google services, installed automatically on nearly all devices
running Android version 2.2 and higher. With these changes, Google can
add new operating system functionality through Play Services and
application updates without having to distribute an upgrade to the
operating system itself. As a result, Android 4.2 and 4.3 contained
relatively fewer user-facing changes, focusing more on minor changes and
platform improvements.[3][108]
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