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No Android 4.4 for Galaxy Nexus: Why the 18 month update window makes no sense

No Android 4.4 for Galaxy Nexus: Why the 18 month update window makes no sense

By Anupam Saxena | Updated: 1 November 2013 16:44 IST

Google released Android 4.4, KitKat, the latest version of its mobile operating system on Thursday, with several tweaks and fixes, and new features along with a brand new smartphone, the Nexus 5, which being the platform lead device comes preloaded with the OS.

Google's Nexus phones and tablets have been the reference devices for its operating system, reflecting Google's own design philosophies. The Nexus devices offer the pure 'stock' Android experience as they're untouched by any additional customisation from the side of operators and OEMs. But the other major reason why some considered Nexus devices better than others was that they were the first to receive Android updates.

When Google announced Android 4.4, it didn't include the Galaxy Nexus - a phone it launched around two years ago - in the list of devices that will receive the update.

Google also confirmed the news on its support page which notes, "Galaxy Nexus, which first launched two years ago, falls outside of the 18-month update window when Google and others traditionally update devices."

Ironically, Google also takes pride in proclaiming that Android 4.4 optimises memory management at a big level, enabling phones that sport just 512MB of RAM to run Android 4.4 KitKat.

So, why did Google choose to exclude the Galaxy Nexus - a two-generation-old phone that still sports decent hardware specifications - from the Android 4.4 update? If it's just because of the 18 month update clause and purely in the interest of OEMs, then it's a bit unjustified, especially when the company boasts the ability of its operating system to run with limited system resources.

In contrast, Apple's new iOS 7 mobile operating system, still supports the iPhone 4, a phone that was launched in June 2010, though not all new features are supported due to hardware limitations.

While Google has not elaborated on the issue, a report by Engadget cites sources close to the company to inform that the reason for not supporting the phone is its chipset, which has been made by Texas Instruments. It says that the company is not in a good position to offer support for the OS upgrades. Given Google's software resources, we're sure it could have found a way.

We still think the company should give up on the 18 month software update window and support devices for a longer period of time. Its OEM partners, which launch high-end devices every three months, still haven't been able to solve the updates puzzle with flagship phones not getting the latest updates even longer than six months after their initial launch.

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