Why no Android updates?

[bazz2004]

Mobile phone owners generally update the OS providing the hardware isn't obsolete and the current version is 10.

Boyue are on Android 6 and have been stuck there a long time. They are not alone. It occurred to me that maybe Google who are behind the open source OS are the reason. They will not allow a current version of Android to be devalued by installation on obsolete or unsuitable devices. There are licensing requirements. I've included a chunk from their website

"How long will each Android version be supported for new devices?
Android's code is open source, so we can't prevent someone from using an old version to launch a device. Instead, Google chooses not to license the Google Play client software for use on versions that are considered obsolete. This allows anyone to continue to ship old versions of Android, but those devices won't use the Android name and exist outside of the Android apps ecosystem, just as if they weren't compatible.

Can a device have a different user interface and still be compatible?
The Android Compatibility Program determines whether a device can run third-party applications. The user interface components shipped with a device (such as home screen, dialer, and color scheme) don't generally have much effect on third-party apps. As such, device builders are free to customize the user interface. The Compatibility Definition Document restricts the degree to which OEMs may alter the system user interface for areas that impact third-party apps.

When are compatibility definitions released for new Android versions?
Our goal is to release a new version of the Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) when the corresponding Android platform version has converged enough to permit it. While we can't release a final draft of a CDD for an Android software version before the first flagship device ships with that software, final CDDs are always released after the first device. However, wherever practical we release draft versions of CDDs.

How are device manufacturers' compatibility claims validated?
There is no validation process for Android device compatibility. However, if the device is to include Google Play, Google typically validates the device for compatibility before agreeing to license the Google Play client software.

What happens if a device that claims compatibility is later found to have compatibility problems?
Typically, Google's relationships with Google Play licensees allow us to ask the device manufacturer to release updated system images that fix the problems."

So for anybody who is still with me and didn't quit with a yawn I think that makes it clearer why Google Play store isn't installed on Boyue devices. You have to activate Google net framework before you can get the PlayStore app. The inference is that because Boyue are struggling to convince Google that they have a satisfactory device they cannot market e-readers with an up to date OS. Quite possibly it's a similar situation with manufacturers like Onyx.

Am I on the right lines here or have I totally misread the situation? Is the failure of these e-readers to progress through new versions of Android down to Google finding them buggy and therefore not up to the required standard?

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by bazz2004

So for anybody who is still with me and didn't quit with a yawn I think that makes it clearer why Google Play store isn't installed on Boyue devices. You have to activate Google net framework before you can get the PlayStore app. The inference is that because Boyue are struggling to convince Google that they have a satisfactory device they cannot market e-readers with an up to date OS. Quite possibly it's a similar situation with manufacturers like Onyx.

BlaBlaBlabla.
I haven't read all the nonsense, but I want to refute these false rumors.
Likebook has installed the Play Store, but not enabled because the Google Apps consume a lot of electricity, which is stupid with an eInk device.
You just have to tick the box, then the Play Store can be used.
However, it makes sense to disable it again - see above.
But this is only possible if the installed apps do not require purchase verification from the store.
With Boox you have to register the device, with Boyue-Likebook Android is registered.

[pazos]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

BlaBlaBlabla.
I haven't read all the nonsense, but I want to refute these false rumors.
Likebook has installed the Play Store, but not enabled because the Google Apps consume a lot of electricity, which is stupid with an eInk device.
You just have to tick the box, then the Play Store can be used.
However, it makes sense to disable it again - see above.
But this is only possible if the installed apps do not require purchase verification from the store.
With Boox you have to register the device, with Boyue-Likebook Android is registered.

Well. Likebook didn't get a certification for their devices. No e-ink device manufacture got a certification for their ereaders because they don't pass the certification. So Likebook spoofed fingerprints from certified devices to make Google Play and Google Play Services to work.

The same happens outside the e-ink world, when some cheap companies don't certify their devices (because money) and use ids from others to being able to ship Google Play.

But you're not here to learn, so blablabla.

[pazos]

To OP: having an old version of android is generally a good for a e-ink device. Newer versions add things that aren't needed and restrict some others that are cool to have (like full filesystem permissions).

An eink device with android 4.4 - 6.0 is still good nowadays. All ebook reading apps that I'm aware work fine in these versions. Other tools, like dictionaries, rss readers, file managers... work too.

I would like to see a barebones AOSP e-ink device, without Google Play Services and no google apps, based on Freescale SoC and heavily optimized for battery - specially suspend behaviour. A big plus would be return back to USB mass storage instead of MTP.

I would buy a device like that without doubt, download some apks from Fdroid and get ready to read.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by pazos

I would like to see a barebones AOSP e-ink device, without Google Play Services and no google apps, based on Freescale SoC and heavily optimized for battery - specially suspend behaviour. A big plus would be return back to USB mass storage instead of MTP.

Take Tolino, add a file manager (Total Commander) and an app changer (OneToucher) and there you have your Android 4.4.2 device of choice.
And all of this is possible without changing the system.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by pazos

Well. Likebook didn't get a certification for their devices. No e-ink device manufacture got a certification for their ereaders because they don't pass the certification. So Likebook spoofed fingerprints from certified devices to make Google Play and Google Play Services to work.

The same happens outside the e-ink world, when some cheap companies don't certify their devices (because money) and use ids from others to being able to ship Google Play.

But you're not here to learn, so blablabla.

Oh, do you really believe any nonsense sold as truth on goodereader?
Because, if Google knew about it, it would be very easy for them to turn it off.
That's the way it is, someone has a nebulous presumption, expresses it on social media and then it is sold as the truth.
The fact is, if it were as you said, it would be very short and all Likebook owners would quickly lose their Play Protect protection.
But such rumors are too stupid to spread their statements
- truth
- logical correctness
to check. They stupidly parrot what they have learned from any dubious sources.

[pazos]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Oh, do you really believe any nonsense sold as truth on goodereader?
Because, if Google knew about it, it would be very easy for them to turn it off.
That's the way it is, someone has a nebulous presumption, expresses it on social media and then it is sold as the truth.
The fact is, if it were as you said, it would be very short and all Likebook owners would quickly lose their Play Protect protection.
But such rumors are too stupid to spread their statements
- truth
- logical correctness
to check. They stupidly parrot what they have learned from any dubious sources.

Blablabla

https://www.android.com/certified/partners/

[ilyats]

Originally Posted by pazos

Well. Likebook didn't get a certification for their devices. No e-ink device manufacture got a certification for their ereaders because they don't pass the certification. So Likebook spoofed fingerprints from certified devices to make Google Play and Google Play Services to work.

The same happens outside the e-ink world, when some cheap companies don't certify their devices (because money) and use ids from others to being able to ship Google Play.

But you're not here to learn, so blablabla.

I thought Google Play was not enabled on Likebook by default because devices with Google Play cannot be sold to Chinese market due to restrictive policies of Chinese government. I could be wrong, of course

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by pazos

https://www.android.com/certified/partners/

You're kidding, aren't you?
Do you really think, these samples are all?
And this page is correct?
There I can read Hisense, Huawei aso, but not Alcatel, Boyue and a lot of others

Blablabla

How stupid do you have to be?

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by ilyats

I thought Google Play was not enabled on Likebook by default because devices with Google Play cannot be sold to Chinese market due to restrictive policies of Chinese government. I could be wrong, of course

This I donot know, but with Boox you have to register each device with Google, and this isnt possible in China.

[pazos]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

You're kidding, aren't you?
Do you really think, these samples are all?
And this page is correct?

The page is correct but no complete as some little companies are just resellers and the certification is driven by the ODM/OEM.

The full list of certified devices is in
https://storage.googleapis.com/play_...d_devices.html

It takes time to load. It's better to download it with

 wget https://storage.googleapis.com/play_public/supported_devices.html

and open it in a good text editor

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

There I can read Hisense, Huawei aso, but not Alcatel, Boyue and a lot of others

cat supported_devices.html |*grep alcatel
    <td>alcatel_5098O</td>
    <td>alcatel 1T7 4G</td>
    <td>alcatel 1T7 4G</td>
    <td>alcatel 1T7 4G</td>
    <td>alcatel 1T7 4G</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 1X</td>
    <td>alcatel 3T8</td>
    <td>alcatel PIXI 4 (5.5)</td>
    <td>alcatel PIXI 4 (5.5)</td>
    <td>alcatel PIXI 4 (5.5)</td>
    <td>alcatel U5</td>
    <td>alcatel U5</td>
    <td>alcatel U5</td>
    <td>alcatel U5</td>
    <td>alcatel U5</td>

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

How stupid do you have to be?

I think you are starting to understand how annoying is an answer started with blablabla. That's good. Please don't do it. Thanks!

[bazz2004]

"BlaBlaBlabla.
I haven't read all the nonsense, but I want to refute these false rumors." - ottischwenk

No false rumours being reported. Due to the lack of any useful info on the forum I looked to a source that seemed authoritative, tried to make some deductions then asked if my conclusions were correct. The lack of information does Boyue no favours.

Most of us want to buy an e-reader and just get on with using it. Slogging it out long term with the device then finding little help from the manufacturer or on a dedicated forum is not great. Here's another thought to conjure with but please first engage the imagination and control the blood pressure. At last the anticipated Android update arrives (maybe even this year) and our favoured apps throw up a load of issues. I'd be really upset if Librera was adversely affected.

Anyway thanks for the replies which I will mull over.

[ottischwenk]

I asked Boyue:

i own Likebook Ares and Likebook Alita.
When will update to Android 8 come?

Regards,

and got the following answer:

under planning, when ready, we will release it to market
maybe after July for note model.

thank you for your attention

[Pajamaman]

I don't think Onyx update Android on their devices. Play store was not active on Poke Pro (Android 6). It can be activated with an option on the Nova 1. Don't know if that's related. But IME don't expect a device to be upgraded to a later version of Android, at least with Onyx. But there are so many apps compatible, and you can get some as apks and not go through play store.

On a side note, I don't know why some people need the latest Android like 9. What is it that Android 6 will not support? Just curious.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

On a side note, I don't know why some people need the latest Android like 9. What is it that Android 6 will not support? Just curious.

I have the feeling that Android 9 can be more economical with power consumption than Android 6.
It's just a feeling, but I have Boox Poke2 (Android 9) and Poke Pro (Android 6).
The Poke2 has a stronger processor and half the battery - but both last for the app. same amount of time.