OEMs may be required to adopt ‘Seamless Updates’ on devices launching with Android 13

22 September 2022
We’re looking at you, Samsung.

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SShock, 22 Sep 2022Google finally enforcing something to make Android better? ... moreI suspect it would help cut down on WEEE as well as people would likely hold on to devices longer, but we'll never know until it happens, if ever.

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    • Anonymous
    • 70d
    • 23 Sep 2022

    Anonymous, 22 Sep 2022"but it comes at the inconvenience of the user who wil... moreNot sure if it's a joke or they tried too hard to be overdramatic. Either way, it's silly.

      LubomirKonecny, 23 Sep 2022I'm using original Dualshock 4 - controller from PS4. ... moreThanks for your answer, I need to try it..

        rizki1, 22 Sep 2022I don't know if it work with unoriginal PS3 controller... moreI'm using original Dualshock 4 - controller from PS4. Even my unoriginal controller from PS3 - Trust GXT 39 works fine. No root needed.

          Anonymous, 22 Sep 2022"but it comes at the inconvenience of the user who wil... moreThat makes sense. You choose when you restart to update or on some phones it just happens randomly in the late night.

            SShock, 22 Sep 2022From what I read on the method, it basically prepares non-a... moreI've had a few phones with it so far, Mi A2, Mi A3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a. It works exactly as you described. I did have a botched update on the Mi A2 once though, but I was able to fix it. Not by simply switching slots unfortunately. None of these phones or any of my other Android phones or tablets have ever had any update issues. I think it's a cool idea in practice and you don't need to have the bootloader unlocked either; but I think most users won't know how to do it or even that they can do it.

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              • Anonymous
              • YQV
              • 22 Sep 2022

              "but it comes at the inconvenience of the user who will have to schedule their updates to a time when they won’t be awake - or face several minutes of downtime during a critical moment when the device is needed."
              Haha, these are not windows updates. As a family owning 5 Samsung phones currently and me doing update maintenence for 3 of them, I am happy doing the updates and no, none of my family felt they are missing their critical lifetime without this A/B feature.

                SShock, 22 Sep 2022Do you even understand what MINIMUM means? It means NO LESS... moreEven most of low end devices get at least 1 year of major update and tons ui and patches.
                Jesus you're sensitive lol

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                  • Anonymous
                  • KS7
                  • 22 Sep 2022

                  Hopefully this reduces the motherboard issues in certain phones due to updates.

                    LubomirKonecny, 22 Sep 2022Nope. Just turn on Bluetooth on your phone and hold Option ... moreI don't know if it work with unoriginal PS3 controller.. although it works with PC and PS3. are you using original controller?

                      Don't really care about AB updates as long as regular monthly updates are incoming on time.

                        dbjungle, 22 Sep 2022It just allows your phone to install the update while you&#... moreFrom what I read on the method, it basically prepares non-active partition and when "update" is prepared, when you reboot the phone, it simply switches to the newly updated partition and update is done. Sounds reasonable and makes sense in theory, but I have no info how this behaves in practice.

                          rizki1, 22 Sep 2022does it need root?Nope. Just turn on Bluetooth on your phone and hold Option and Share buttons on DS4 to enter Pairing mode. Then choose to connect to Wireless Controller (DS4) in the BT settings on phone.

                            Rkm, 22 Sep 2022Your have missed the point. Google is not enforcing 'u... moreThey're not even enforcing the method. Just the partition scheme.

                              PorkHotdog, 22 Sep 2022"Samsung we're looking at you?" Samsung is t... moreSamsung is the fastest after Google. That's completely true. It wasn't always the case, but they really got ahead of the game in the past few years. A/B isn't about release speed though. It's about updating while using the device so that you don't have downtime when the update reboots.

                                kek, 22 Sep 2022"As one of top Android smartphone brands in the world,... moreIt just allows your phone to install the update while you're using the phone. It also gives you the benefit of swapping back to the old partition if something goes wrong.

                                  SShock, 22 Sep 2022Google finally enforcing something to make Android better? ... moreIf I was in charge of the Google Android division I would hire you based off this comment.

                                    LubomirKonecny, 22 Sep 2022You can connnect controllers to smartphones via Bluetooth. ... moredoes it need root?

                                      rizki1, 22 Sep 2022I need to connect bluetooth console controller feature whic... moreYou can connnect controllers to smartphones via Bluetooth. Dualshock 4 works fine.

                                        YUKI93, 22 Sep 2022I still can't understand why most OEMs don't embr... moreI've never used A/B like this, but I can definitely see the appeal. I won't flash custom on stock and stock-like ROMs (Motorola, Nokia, Android One, Pixel). Anything else... I'll flash custom as soon as I can do it without fking something up. The only non stock Android devices I currently have are my Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Realme Q3 Pro, Lenovo Legion Y700, Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021, iPad Mini 6. The 2 phones are both custom ROMs, the tablets are not, and ofc it's not possible on the iPad.

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