Android Ice Cream Sandwich Update Woes Blamed on Manufacturer & Carrier Business Model [Wonder Why Ice Cream Sandwich Upgrades Are Taking Too Long? It's Because Mobile Carriers Would Rather Subsidize a New Phone in Exchange For Your Loyalty]

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Google has announced its latest Android smartphone and tablet operating system last October. But consumers are wondering why their smartphones and tablets are not yet getting Ice Cream Sandwich updates. This is said to be a result of mobile carriers’ and manufacturers’ business model, and even Android fragmentation itself.

Even with the launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich a couple of months ago, major smartphone and tablet manufacturers have announced that their ICS updates will not arrive on consumer handsets and tablets for at least a few months more. Samsung says Galaxy smartphone and Galaxy Tab users will have to wait a few months before an update comes, and Motorola says ICS updates to its Xoom and Droid product lines are likely to come in at least six months. What’s troubling is that even Samsung’s former flagship Galaxy S and original Galay Tab will not get updated to ICS due to hardware constraints. It’s the same with the LG Optimus 2X, which will not get Ice Cream Sandwich, as confirmed by LG.

Ed Bott argues at ZDNet that all this boils down to the business model that Android follows. Google controls the platform and the upgrade cycle, although how fast updates actually trickle down to consumers will have to depend on several factors. First, Google announces the update. Then, they send it to mobile manufacturers like Motorola, HTC, Samsung and others, for device testing and for customizations. Manufacturers then send the updates to the carriers for network testing, branding further customizations. It is only after the release is certified by the carriers that consumers get the update.

Most of the time, it’s in the carrier’s interest to keep a user happy with service, since they earn not from handset sales, but from subscription contracts. As for update delays, carriers don’t necessarily refuse to provide updates to handsets. Rather, some will chose not to invest considerable engineering resources in modifying and testing updates. Instead, carriers will offer significant subsidies for a new handset so that consumers will renew their two-year contracts and keep on paying the monthly bill.

In short, the carriers’ business model is to keep you within contract, with attractive or even free offers on new smartphones.

However, this business model has proved to be troublesome in the past. In particular, Microsoft used to have fragmentation in its Windows Mobile smartphone OS, which led to update delays, hardware incompatibilities and the like. Microsoft has learned from its mistake, and now enforces strict hardware specifications, such that devices almost always conform to similar standards. Thus, when Windows Phone 7 Mango was released, Microsoft got an unprecedented worldwide update rate, in just a span of a few weeks.

Of course, Apple also strictly controls both hardware and software, which makes for a more pleasant iPhone, iPad and iPod update experience (although not without glitches). Will fragmentation and carriers’ business model result in the downfall or slowdown of Android? At the rate Android is growing, it’s not likely. But that doesn’t mean Android smartphone and tablet users are not having headaches having to wait for OS updates to finally come.

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