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Google Begins Rolling Out Android 7.0 Nougat (venturebeat.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Google today started rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat to existing Nexus devices via an over-the-air software update. This is a gradual rollout: The Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C, and General Mobile 4G (Android One) will all be updated, but " it may take several weeks" before everyone gets the latest and greatest, a Google spokesperson told VentureBeat.The Nexus 5 (2013), which packs in a Snapdragon 800 SoC coupled with 2GB of RAM and 5-inch full-HD display, won't be receiving Android Nougat update -- despite having all the hardware capabilities required for a phone to receive Google's latest OS update. The truth of the matter is if Google wanted to update the Nexus 5 with the latest Android software, it could have. It just chose not to. It's very likely that same will be the case for the Nexus 6, a phone that has 3GB of RAM, and Snapdragon 805 SoC, next year when the company releases Android O update.
Who says the Nexus 5 isn't getting updates anymore? It's not getting Android 7, but Google updates older OS releases, just like Apple still gives security updates for macOS 10.9.
Sorry, you're going to need to back up "99% of people are now running pwned phones" with some facts (which are to be distinguished from the refuse coming from your ass).
Google patches their OS. OEMs and carriers don't send them downstream, and there's nothing Google can do about it because Android is FOSS and you can do whatever you like with it. The fact that iOS is restricted and closed gives the illusion that iPhones have better security, but if anybody could sell iOS devices beside Apple, their ecosystem would look just as bad.
Why are you defending google so much? Do you have google stock or some shit? Google is a corporation. Their decisions are based on money nowdays. The original guys are long gone.
I'm defending Google because right now Nexus devices are the only phones that reasonably respect their users' right to unlock the bootloader. I dread living in a world dominated by Samsung, Apple, and Microsoft.
Your secure boot theory sort of undermines your user rights argument. So in your scenario of why the limitation might be justified you can add Google to that domination list. :-)
I have no idea what you're talking about. Android 7 has a new secure booting mechanism, but it's not the same as Intel's SecureBoot that (theoretically) locks the bootloader. You can still unlock the bootloader on Nexus phones. Indeed, Google even advertises that as a benefit.
Then you need to edit your list as Microsoft allows the unlocking of the boot loader as well. Also while Samsung will void your warranty they don't really prevent you from changing the boot loader so they don't really belong on the list either. Only Apple aggressively locks down the boot process and works to prevent user modification.