Why do Android phones last for only 2-2.5 years on average?

 

Why do Android phones last for less than 2-2.5 years on average?

Android devices have a way smaller life than their competitors like Windows and Apple devices. Reason are often broadly classified in two divisions.

Lack of app support

An average android phone today can last for quite 4 to five years on its own merit, if anyone is willing to stay it alive. I bought a Micromax phone with Android Gingerbread (2.3.5) back within the youth within the year 2013. It stopped working recently due to battery issues. basic math tells that the phone lasted for quite 4 years.

However, with each android API update, new libraries are added, and a few older ones get deprecated. Developers must keep their apps on Google Play Store updated with these latest changes. to make sure same functionality and features of the app on all devices, eventually older devices need to be abandoned.

Example: WhatsApp abandoning android 2.2 and below devices

Thus the phones not only lack features from latest Android, but also third party app support.

No standard hardware

Ever wondered why it's very easy to upgrade Windows PC? It happens automatically, directly from Microsoft. At most, you would like to download the .iso file, burn it to a thumb drive and you're good to update your system.

Why doesn't this happen to Android? this is often because most PCs have hardware standardization (IBM). An OS knows where to expect what hardware. In contrast, Google has not specifically set any hardware standards. There are a few of tests like Compatibility Test Suite which an o.e.m must pass their device through, but it is not almost like IBM standard.

CTS checks

Compatibility Test Suite, as mentioned above and Compatibility Definition Document decides to which device, an o.e.m can officially pust an android update. Check the newest CDD here:

metimes, CTS prevents OEMs to push updates to perfectly capable devices. Sony Xperia Z3 was one among the non-nexus phones to urge Android Nougat developer previews. However Google change’its CDD in last moment making its Snapdragon 801 incompatible

Lack lustre attitude of OEMs

Most manufacturers have their devices bloated and heavily skinned with features. Pushing an update requires building everything, each piece of these specific “features” from scratch. it's time consuming and wishes lot of labor . that's the rationale many manufacturers completely avoid updates.

Google is trying to unravel the difficulty by using new Vendor Test Suite, which can make OEMs keep their code seperate from core Android code, allowing faster OS updates.

As Google releases new Android versions per annum , by two years, you're already lagging behind by 2 Android versions. Imagine yourself using Windows 7 now, when most are using Windows 10.

Hardware ageing

As mentioned previously, current android phones have hardware to stay up for about 5 years. However, phone manufacturers have the sole income by sales from their devices. As a result they have to stay releasing newer devices periodically, with better hardware than the previous generation of devices. This makes owners of older devices feel that their's became excessively aged. So people buy new phones and older ones quickly reach End Of Life, both in software and hardware.

These are a number of the explanations why android devices age so quickly.

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