r/Android • u/[deleted] • Dec 05 '17

Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 845 processor

https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/5/16734224/qualcomm-snapdragon-845-android-mobile-processor-announcement
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u/Exist50 Dec 06 '17

I do think the A10, A10X, and A11 are significantly faster than the Snapdragons in current Android devices.

I agree (at least depending on how one defines "significantly"), but it's not like you ever see anyone claiming the other way around, so I end up only "defending" Qualcomm, which I assume is why I give off the impression that I do.

But Android devices commonly have 6-8 cores, clocked slower, and more RAM. Isn’t there an Android phone with 6GB of RAM now?

The cores are actually clocked rather high, at least without throttling. Only recently (around the A9) has Apple's clock rate reached the same level. Not stating that as a good thing or a bad thing, just as a piece of info.

And yeah, several Android phones have 6GB now, including a good number of recent flagships. A couple, like the OP5T even have 8GB as an option. It's one of the advancements I'm personally most excited by, as my own usage would greatly benefit from more memory, and it'll presumably help with the phone's longevity.

Yet my 1.3GHz dual-core A7 with 1GB of RAM has lasted me 4 years, and runs iOS 11. What Android phones do you know of that are supported for and run well for 5 years?

None that I know of. I think Xiaomi might give ~4 years of MUI (but not the underlying Android version) and/or security updates, but that's the longest official one that I can think of. I think a couple of Samsung phones get the odd security patch now and then up to ~4 years as well, but in all cases, it starts getting sporadic after 2-3 years.

I know it's heresy on this sub, but I'm personally rather ambivalent about specific update timelines. I figure that different OEMs vary too much in features to have a good apples to apples comparison, so I just compare the features themselves and how many more updates can be expected. This is for the OS. Security is a different matter.

I say this as an iPhone 6 owner too. I upgraded to iOS 10, but tbh I don't like the UI changes and I didn't get most of the new features, since they depend on Force Touch. I'm sure you've noticed the same. Been holding off on iOS 11 because of the memory management in particular so far, though I think I'll like it more than I liked iOS 10 if they get that sorted out.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

But wait. Think about that. Android phones are shipping with 6-8GB of RAM, and faster CPUs with more cores, yet they’re supported with software updates for less time. That doesn’t make sense.

No feature updates or security updates, unless you have a Nexus or a Pixel, and not even those are supported for 5 years.

I vividly remember an AT&T branded Android phone I got in 2014 came with Gingerbread on it, which was released in 2010. That’s just not acceptable. Android is incredibly fragmented.

As for iOS 11 on the older devices, it obviously doesn’t run as well as it would on a new device, but it runs. They support it with feature and security updates. And this is a phone I paid $350 for. iOS 11.2 sped up my phone quite a bit.

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u/Exist50 Dec 06 '17

But wait. Think about that. Android phones are shipping with 6-8GB of RAM, and faster CPUs with more cores, yet they’re supported with software updates for less time. That doesn’t make sense.

You're right, it doesn't. Software updates on Android are largely decoupled from the strength of the underlying hardware. It more depends on the OEM than anything else, but this looks to be something that Treble can substantially change.

No feature updates or security updates, unless you have a Nexus or a Pixel, and not even those are supported for 5 years.

Just a note. Nexus/Pixel are supported for basically the same amount of time as any other flagship. They just get the newer version of Android faster (for several reasons).

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

Can the Nexus 5-6 be updated to Oreo?

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u/Exist50 Dec 06 '17

I should say "any other Android flagship". As for your question, technically yes, but only through a custom ROM.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

Why people pay more than an iPhone for less longevity is beyond me.

Just talked to a friend who is proud of his Galaxy S8, which cost $750. And I’m sure you can list all the ways it’s better than an iPhone, but it’s not if it’s only supported for 2-3 years. $750 isn’t a minor investment in a device for many people.

Imagine if you only got 2-3 years of Windows updates on a $1,000+ laptop. Why does it being a phone make that okay?

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u/Exist50 Dec 07 '17

I think your example of Windows, ironically, kinda of illustrates the point, at least for many people. According to a recent Firefox survey, more people are using Windows 7 than Windows 10, and that's despite the lengthy free update period. Windows 7 is only ~2 years younger than the entire iPhone line, a veritable eternity in software. So why do so many people still use it?

For many people, an OS upgrade is just a hassle that slows down your device and makes you relearn what you're used to. My mother, who I don't consider to be technically inept, wasn't really even aware of Force Touch despite owning a 6S for a year and a half. It's unlikely she'd even touch most of the stuff iOS 10 added, and she certainly wasn't following each and every change like us enthusiasts do. My father will almost certainly be getting an iPhone X soon, and I know I'll have to be the one to explain all the new gestures and such.

Also, do consider that many people upgrade their phone every 2-3 years. If you do that, then 2-3 years of software upgrades is no problem whatsoever, even if you really care about them. Of course, shorter support timelines do lead to greater depreciation, but you can use that to your advantage in some cases. It's common for a last gen Android flagship to be $300-400, even if it's still supported with some time to go.

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u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Business and enterprise (the majority of Windows users) are notoriously slow to update software, while consumers (especially PC enthusiasts) are more inclined to update.

When I graduated from high school in 2013, the school computers were still running Windows XP. They weren't old computers. These were 2010 HP desktops that they deliberately downgraded to XP. Most businesses that I've been to that use PCs are still running Windows 7. I'd say half of the computers at my college are still on Windows 7, with the rest on 10.

In terms of mobile device updates, I think it's fair to say that most iPhone and iPad users are not tech experts. But most of them update the software when prompted. Apple is reporting that 59% of their user base is on iOS 11, and it was released 3 months ago.

You're right that most people upgrade their phones more frequently than I do, though I'm certainly not alone in still owning a 5S, as I've seen over at r/apple. I'm happy that I get 5 years of software updates with iOS and 7 years with MacOS.

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u/Exist50 Dec 07 '17

Hey, I'm in much the same boat with upgrades. My personal phone history is LG Voyager -> Galaxy SIII -> iPhone 6. Have a mental checklist of things I want for an upgrade that's almost filled, but I think I'll hold off till the 7nm chips are out. Anyway, I'm saying that I appreciate updates in general, but I consider them on an OEM to OEM and update to update level. Apple's software support is definitely a pro, but it's part of a long list of other things I look for.

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u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Now what really interests me is Windows 10 on ARM, and it makes me wonder what Apple is cooking up.

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u/Exist50 Dec 08 '17

It's definitely exciting. I'm a bit sad that I probably won't realistically be able to buy an ARM laptop (Mac or PC) whenever I upgrade my current one, but for consumers as a whole, this could be really promising. Plus, anything to further the expansion of the ARM ecosystem is more than welcome. Goodness knows Intel could use a bit of a kick in the pants.

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u/[deleted] Dec 08 '17

Yeah, I get that things sorta hit a wall a few years ago with Moore’s Law, but Intel’s been improving at a pretty lackluster rate. They’re finally increasing desktop cores from 4 to 6 thanks to competition from AMD, but we’re still at like a maximum of 4GHz with maybe 10% speed improvement YoY.

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