‘Phone manufacturers are nervous about using new Android version’
Manufacturers of phones are often nervous about using new Android versions on phones because users are returning phones if one of their favorite apps does not work on the new phone. That is a high cost, says a Google engineer.
Because of those costs manufacturers are hesitating about using a new Android version on their phone, says Google engineer Brian Carlstrom in the Android Developers Backstage podcast . “There is dissatisfaction in the ecosystem about new Android versions and part of it comes back to the compatibility of apps.”
Users only find out when they take the phone into use. “They take the device home with them, if it turns out that their favorite app, or even an app that they only use once a week, does not work, then they bring back the phone, which saves costs for providers and manufacturers.”
This is not just about new devices, manufacturers are also nervous about pushing upgrades for existing phones. “They are afraid that their users will not be happy with it, because some apps will not work, a certain percentage will not work, so some users are nervous if they can upgrade their device.”
To prevent Google from trying to prevent apps from using undocumented APIs. When apps use public APIs, the search giant can ensure that apps continue to do so on new versions. “If apps use public SDK, we can be sure that we can continue to support these cases, which will cause fewer problems in the future, which will make the process of upgrading smoother, even for manufacturers who release new devices,” Carlstrom said.
Users only find out when they take the phone into use. “They take the device home with them, if it turns out that their favorite app, or even an app that they only use once a week, does not work, then they bring back the phone, which saves costs for providers and manufacturers.”
This is not just about new devices, manufacturers are also nervous about pushing upgrades for existing phones. “They are afraid that their users will not be happy with it, because some apps will not work, a certain percentage will not work, so some users are nervous if they can upgrade their device.”
To prevent Google from trying to prevent apps from using undocumented APIs. When apps use public APIs, the search giant can ensure that apps continue to do so on new versions. “If apps use public SDK, we can be sure that we can continue to support these cases, which will cause fewer problems in the future, which will make the process of upgrading smoother, even for manufacturers who release new devices,” Carlstrom said.
