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Apple vs. Microsoft: a Tale of Two Mobile Updates
snydeq writes "The latest mobile updates from Apple and Microsoft provide a stark contrast, one emblematic of the differences between the two companies, InfoWorld's Ted Samson writes. Militantly on time, Apple's iOS 4.3 update offers significant new functionality, total disregard for what Apple considers outdated systems, and mandated silencing of user complaints. Microsoft, meanwhile, has finally managed to push out an alleged February update to a subset of users, along with a lamentation about having to deal with handset and carrier fragmentation."
Slashdotters have usually put Windows Phone 7 down because of the old clumsy feel of older Windows Mobile phones and the OS, but you have to remember WP7 is completely different beast and it's completely redesigned. Personally I think it has great future in front of it. They have the best phone manufacturer Nokia on board and WP7 is a huge advancement as OS. C# and other available languages along with Xbox Live and XNA integration is awesome or developers. For users the interface is at the same time innovative and easy to use, and they don't need to take a specific phone but can choose from wide array of phones the one that best suits them. Still WP7 doesn't have the fragmentation issue that Android has because Microsoft at least has some hardware requirements for the phones.
As soon as Nokia's Windows Phone 7 devices are released, I will probably get one. Both iPhone and Android have many issues caused mostly because they're fundamentally so far from each, like left and right. Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 is in the middle ground and takes the best from both worlds.
Which essentially is updates "if the carriers & manufactures feel like it (but secretly they don't because they don't want to devalue their newer offerings)". Barring that, the end user either follows some obscure steps to upgrade their phone from some Android hacking website, or is told to go pound sand. Not very good options for common non-techie end users like my aunt.
Historically, most Apple devices you buy new today is good for about 2 years of firmware updates.
Seems that everyone has forgotten that Apple delayed the iOS 4.2 update back in November.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/12/ios-4-2-reportedly-delayed-ipad-wifi-...
It was slated to come early November and it wasn't available until late November. Nobody seem to think this was a sign of an incapable Apple. I don't understand why if Microsoft delays an update by a couple of weeks as well, bloggers begin to hammer on them as if they can't keep up.
How about we look at it this way... Apple, with total control over their ecosystem, delayed a significant update to one of their mobile devices by a couple of weeks. This came after they had practice with several other updates over a course of several years. Microsoft, who has to managed its mobile platform across several devices and several manufacturers, has delayed its first significant update to multiple devices by a nearly identical amount of time as Apple, with less than one year of practice under this OS.
Viewed that way, it seems like a pretty good job to me...
The article is considers Apple releasing this update on time and Microsoft releasing theirs late and in a piecemeal fashion as an indication of what the companies are like, but the author forgets two things. First, the iOS 4.2 was delayed (actually cancelled and later released as 4.2.1) when a WiFi bug was found. Granted it wasn't as long a Microsoft's delay, but still...
Second, the iPad was stuck at iOS 3.x for a long time after 4.x was available for the iPhone and iPod. It skipped 4.0 and 4.1 until it finally hit OS parity at 4.2.1. This was despite Apple controlling both the hardware and software as the article suggests.
As to Microsoft's offering, I have never considered WP7 to be a released product until they fixed the basic things like copy/paste. The old adage of always waiting for a ".1" release of a Microsoft product was true again. It was disappointing after they got it so right with Windows 7.
Microsoft issues an update: it's supposed to update the updating system for future updates. It bricks phones.
Apple issues an update: Adds a few minor features, fixes bugs, improves web browser performance. It Just Works.
I find the trolling with "mandatory silencing of complaints" ironic since one of the features in iOS 4.3 - a user preference for the switch on the iPad to function as orientation lock or mute - is specifically in response to user feedback.
Meanwhile, Google issues an update. You can't use it until your carrier/handset manufacturer says you can (it took a month for Gingerbread to show up even on Google's own Nexus).
I don't know what kind of crack I was on, but I suspect it was decaf.
It would drive the carriers insane, but Apple could open up iOS a bit more without causing compatibility problems between apps and OS versions.
Anytime someone complains about Apple not being open enough, I'm compelled to state that just like with most large corporations, Apple exists to make money through some corporate vision, and that sometimes their business decisions override engineering decisions.
Overall, Apple still makes kit that is worth the purchase and inconvenience to a great number of folks, so Apple continues to make lots of money the hard way. Unlike Microsoft and other monopolists / rent-seekers, Apple (for the most part) isn't mandatory anywhere (exception being a few .edu places which require purchase of iPads or iPod Touch devices... I'm hoping these places either subsidize those required purchases or allow alternate options).
Make sure everyone's vote counts: Verified Voting
Which phones out there get vendor supplied updates after 3 years?
Does it matter? Do we judge fairness by the lowest common denominator? The fact is that Apple was still happily signing people up for two year contacts with AT&T on brand freaking new iPhone 3Gs until last June. Now, it's ok that people who are contractually obligated to pay for service for the next 14+ months be left vulnerable to attack? This, just because Apple first started selling the device in '08 and other manufacturers have track records of treating their customers like crap? It may be a three year old phone to the guys currently playing with iPhone 5 or 6 prototypes under black curtains, but to some, it's well under a year old. Maybe these people shouldn't expect multitasking, (no way on that hardware) wallpapers, or the other various cool new iOS 4 features, but they sure as hell ought to be able to surf the web without their devices being compromised.
huh? i'm still getting updates for my PowerPC Mac Mini which has to be over 6 years old, and XP is going to be patched until 2014.