There is fragmentation in the Android market. Due to carrier approval delays on operating system updates, among other things, the Android marketplace is split between 1.5, 1.6, and 2.1. This means that going forward, unless you want to hack your phone, you may experience long delays in upgrades.
Engadget reported that Google has a solution(via Mobiputing). It plans to unbundle the apps from core operating system. And this makes sense. If a new update to the web browser comes, you don’t have to wait for it to go through the manufacturer and carrier approval process. Carriers should approve and test the basic phone functionality…integration with the carrier’s network, reliability, etc…all the things we expect of them.
But if Google wants to push out an update to the alarm clock app, or something that won’t change its phone functionality(except at a very high level, ie appearance/organization), they won’t need approval. And customers will be happier. They’ve already done updates to Google Maps, for example, without needing to run that by the carriers and manufacturers.
By decreasing the amount of pieces of the puzzle that are part of the OS and rolling them into the Android Market for updates, we would all get a better experience. But that is just our opinion, we suppose.
Agreed, 100%. This would bring Android on par with Apple; Apple uses its own App Store to push out applications like Remote and such. Indeed, Android might have the advantage, because integral apps like Mail are updated only with the OS.
This would also cut down on the frustration of users of older HTC phones, which need a lengthly carrier and manufacturer review process before they see Android updates.