Google announces Project Treble, a modular base for Android aiming to make updates faster

12 May 2017
This brings a new "vendor interface" into the OS, which is validated by a "vendor test suite".

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • LaT
  • 13 May 2017

UNE, 13 May 2017great idea on paper, please bring backup plan to force fast... moreTwit ,iphone is a last decade phone in every way, the proof..watch the next one copy Samsung /android in every way . Now it has maaaaasive bezells, an old fashioned, shamefully low resolution, obscelescent lcd screen, and only....oh, lets to go into detail, just etc etc etc, check out its specks against any android flagship, apart from that startup pretending to be nokia. Iphone updates are a chaos, the internet hides it well, just google it, or ask a friend, infact, have you ever met anyone, who doesn't know someone with a cracked iphone screen, no, you keep your iphone brainwash

    mir, 13 May 2017Google definitely understands. Its the OEMs that need to st... moreGoogle should some how force oem to push updates with in 2months of new version launch and those carrier should not interfere

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      • AnonD-428442
      • XP{
      • 13 May 2017

      Herodroid, 13 May 2017I have OnePlus 3 and we will be able to unofficialy update ... moreYou just argued that there's no need for Google to do this project at all.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • RN5
        • 13 May 2017

        AnonD-428442, 13 May 2017Hahaha, please. How many times Google have "tried" to strea... moreFully agreed... The single variable that can totally wreck the equation = vendors/OEMs...

        They're not gonna care. Even if Google+AOSP cook up an ABC and 123 kid easy solution to just drag and drop code bits into said modules, they won't bother to ethically keep sufficiently specced devices updated. Check how does Samsung trick up the J series; Cortex A7 based Exynos as a good excuse to keep the firmware and software "still" just to keep the price low.

        And now sometimes you'd see some other low specced but oddly targeted phones but with Nougat out of the box?

        On the other hand, now Google expect the willing herd to cough up $1000 or thereabouts for the Pixel line. A rather sneaky way of signaling a so called vertical integration redirection as elitist as Apple but even more worse at product availability and after sales support.

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          • AnonD-39937
          • gCq
          • 13 May 2017

          Great to hear this, that the update process will be a little simpler and faster. Maybe the manufactures will stop the fragmentation once and for all.

            • g
            • goodfellow
            • sUw
            • 13 May 2017

            This is good start that google has undertaken. I hope that like the iphone had made the latest os available to all models depending on their configuration. I hope that google can achieve the same challenge irrespective of the mobile chip which is different in each and every phone.

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              • AnonD-658688
              • Iap
              • 13 May 2017

              PICA you are right !

                • D
                • AnonD-34160
                • utt
                • 13 May 2017

                I think Google should use treble in a more controlled sense.
                Like:
                Using Silicon developers help & pushing out common OS update for compatible chip sets. Like say: Android O update for all SD 820/821 together, For all SD 660 Together & like.
                Relevant Smartphone vendor or carrier may add their own features via separate updates.
                Google has enough servers & resources to do this & it may actually streamline the versions.

                  • m
                  • mir
                  • t7X
                  • 13 May 2017

                  LG superfan, 13 May 2017Glad google finally understands the pain of end user waitin... moreGoogle definitely understands. Its the OEMs that need to stop with their super heavy UIs and extra features that don't get used 90% of the time.

                    AnonD-428442, 13 May 2017Hahaha, please. How many times Google have "tried" to strea... moreI have OnePlus 3 and we will be able to unofficialy update our device few years atleast via custom roms. I am happy we can custom rom our devices.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • gNS
                      • 13 May 2017

                      AnonD-428442, 13 May 2017Hahaha, please. How many times Google have "tried" to strea... moreRight say..

                        • D
                        • AnonD-428442
                        • XP{
                        • 13 May 2017

                        Hahaha, please. How many times Google have "tried" to streamline Android devices with multiple coalitions? None of them work. Heck, we don't even see Android One anymore.

                        Let's forget updates. Just look at the monthly security patches, where it is now completely separate from the OS, and can be implemented regardless of the Android version. How many OEMs doing it? Not many.

                        Any attempt to streamline Android updates will not work, simply because it is not in anybody's motivation, and there's literally no incentive in doing so.

                        For the OEMs, they make money by selling new phones. Updating old phones mean less user buying new phones, plus it cost money. If big OEMs like Samsung cannot even do it on all of their lineup, what makes you think the other OEMs who are operating at even less margin want to do it?

                        For Google, they make money from ads. So updates doesn't matter as long as someone uses Android. I mean if Google actually cared, they would've been really serious about this from the beginning. Yet every attempt they made were half-hearted and practically abandoned the next moment.

                        And carriers? They get money from people renewing their lines, and they do that when there are new phones. So why should they spend money and time updating old phones? It's not like people want to switch carriers easily.

                        Updated phones only work when the software maker is also the one making the hardware. Apple, Nexus/Pixel. Other than those, just assume the OS on the phone out of the box will be the one it has forever. This is why I just buy cheap Xiaomi Android phones. No need to worry about updates as I can simply buy newer phones on the yearly basis (or less) without breaking the bank.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • bJb
                          • 13 May 2017

                          I foresee another fail project

                            • S
                            • Savor
                            • IHq
                            • 13 May 2017

                            Google needs to unjank Android first.

                              Glad google finally understands the pain of end user waiting for updates but there is one problem I didnt understand anything can someone please translate it to layman language

                                • A
                                • Aniki
                                • KiL
                                • 13 May 2017

                                haha, google as a big company only started on this direction while MIUI already has monthly updates, weekly updates and 3-4 updates per week for all users, developers and internal tester over so many years~

                                  Still better than the current process. Taking some steps forward :)

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • X{3
                                    • 13 May 2017

                                    Fast fast!

                                      • U
                                      • UNE
                                      • PA7
                                      • 13 May 2017

                                      great idea on paper, please bring backup plan to force faster update, galaxy s7 US just get N, where O just around the corner (this is 1 of android flagship use by majority but service is far from iphone)

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                                        • AnonD-535480
                                        • 43i
                                        • 12 May 2017

                                        Google can try all they want, but as long as it's not financially beneficial for those eom's and carriers this thing will go nowhere.