The Mobile Phone Update Conundrum

Things aren't much better in Windows Phone 7 land. Microsoft has underlined the "fragmentation" that Android suffers, but at the same time they have been slow to push out updates for their own mobile platform. Even simple updates have had hiccups that caused problems for some phones. This is despite an architecture that only allows the hardware makers to customize a few specific points in the OS. Theoretically, that should let Microsoft update Windows Phone at a pace faster than Android can manage, but that hasn't happened.

Now back to the role of the carriers. Most Android or Windows Phone users bought the phone from the carrier, and when it doesn't work they're likely to head back to the carrier to get it fixed. The carrier and the phone maker were already paid for the phone; they don't really care if it has the latest software. In fact, they'd prefer that nothing changed on that phone because if it breaks it will increase their costs. If the customer has to buy another phone, well, that means more money for them. Is it any wonder that Android and Windows Phone devices don't update quickly, when the carrier and phone maker can't see an upside in delivering updates?

That's where Apple's control and vertical integration comes handy again. They have the upper hand with both AT&T and Verizon. Because Apple delivers hardware, software, and support for the iPhone through their own stores, they don't have the same "leave sleeping dogs lie" attitude that plagues the others. If there is any bright spot for Microsoft, it's that they might be able to offer the same sort of vertical integration in their own Microsoft Stores. But where does that leave Google with Android?

With all the good things that you might say about Apple and its lightning-quick updates, there is a bit of irony in that the hapless third-party software makers in the App Store don't have the same ability. Apple has to examine and approve every app, and that can take some time. How much time they won't say, and it seems to vary widely from app to app. App makers have sometimes had bug-fix updates waiting weeks in the approval queue, while the app's reputation was being hurt by users experiencing the same old now-fixed bugs.

As Apple's financial and sales numbers show, the company's model of a tightly controlled walled garden has served them well and made it so they can move quickly. Yet those quick OS updates come at a price. Android and WP7 might be a bit more chaotic than Apple's ecosystem, but they also offer more choice. If you prefer order at the expense of freedom from choice, then Apple is the way to go.

Recommended Reading: Google I/O: What Android Needs Nokia Drops To Number Two Across Europe Android Market Share 35%, Windows Phone 2.5% RIM Adds iPhone, Android Support Three Mobility Trends That Will Change Your Business Windows Phone, Blackberry App Development Lags See more by Dave Methvin