Samsung's Android smartphones have been attractive to tech-savvy phone buyers not just because of their big screens but also because they often run a fresher version of Android than many competing phones. In the coming months, Samsung's flagship Galaxy phone will be one of the first to get the latest software update from Google, the company said on Wednesday.
Having a phone with a newer operating system is helpful because it ensures that the latest apps and Android features will work. And not even Google has been completely up to speed on getting phones running the newest Android software: Motorola, which the search giant recently acquired, is shipping its Razr HD smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich, the older version of Android. Only later will it get an update to Jelly Bean, the newer software.
Samsung's flagship phone, the Galaxy S III, on the other hand, will get Jelly Bean in a few months, the company said. Months may seem like eons in the tech business, but that's a feat when you consider that only 1.8 percent of Android phones are running Jelly Bean so far, according to estimates by Google.
Why does Samsung get the goods in a hurry, and why is it so tough to keep Android phones up to date in general?
The general explanation is that there are a lot of moving parts: Google releases the Android source code to manufacturers, which then customize it for their devices, said Jan Dawson, an analyst with Ovum. Carriers, too, have to work with the manufacturers to create versions that are compatible with their networks. And then there's testing that both parties have to do. Because companies have limited resources, they have to give some phones priority in getting newer Android software over others.
Samsung has a few things going for it: The company has strong support from carriers because its phones are selling well and bringing many people to their stores. It also has a lot of resources: Executives at the company have described its engineering team in Korea as enormous. Also, Samsung has a head start with Jelly Bean, because the Galaxy Nexus, which it developed with Google, was the first phone to include the new software.
With all that said, it's unlikely that the average consumer knows which phones have the latest Android software and which ones don't, Mr. Dawson said. They do notice, however, when their favorite apps stop working because they're no longer supported in outdated Android software, or when their friends have flashier features on their newer Android phones, he said.
