Why does it take Android OEMs so long to get new versions of Android to their phones?
One of the biggest parts of it is that every phone has a slightly different kernel (the core of the OS). Yes, it's all Android, but the specifics are tailored to that specific phone's hardware. If you took the version of Android running on your Galaxy S5 and tried to run it on my Nexus 4, for exa…
The Short Answer
One of the biggest parts of it is that every phone has a slightly different kernel (the core of the OS). Yes, it's all Android, but the specifics are tailored to that specific phone's hardware. If you took the version of Android running on your Galaxy S5 and tried to run it on my Nexus 4, for example, it wouldn't work. That's why every device on the [factory image download page](_URL_0_) has a separate link. Thus, carriers have to make sure that the new version of Android is running well enough on their specific devices to warrant a release. Top that with the fact that release testing is hard. I was a software quality assurance intern for a company and I release tested apps, which was tedious enough. I couldn't imagine testing the entire operating system 🙁
Analysis
Key Concepts: Android, release, every
This explanation focuses on android, release, every and spans 136 words across 8 sentences. At 81% above the average Technology explanation (75 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “One of the biggest parts of it is that every phone has a slightly different kernel (the core of the OS).” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 8 connected points.
How This Compares in Technology
Ranked #60 of 500 Technology questions by answer depth (top 13%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why it take android oems so long to get new versions of android to their phones?
One of the biggest parts of it is that every phone has a slightly different kernel (the core of the OS). Yes, it's all Android, but the specifics are tailored to that specific phone's hardware. If you took the version of Android running on your…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Technology questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 136 words, ranked #60 of 500 Technology questions by depth. The key concepts covered are android, release, every.
What approach does this answer take to explain it take android oems so long to get new versions of android ?
The explanation uses concrete examples and contrasting perspectives across 136 words. It is categorized under Technology and addresses the question through 2 analytical lenses.