The Android world got another app store this week, one aimed at so-called “high-end” devices such as the forthcoming ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet. But in the meantime, existing owners of some not-so-high-end Android handsets were warned the only way they’ll be able to get OS updates is by buying an entirely new device.
ARCHOS this week set a date for the official launch of its Android-based ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet, which sports a 5-inch display designed for playing HD video. It’s expected to allow TV recording on the 500 GB hard drive, too, thanks to the TI OMAP3440 processor, which is optimized for video processing. The launch event is scheduled to take place on Sept. 15 in Paris.
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The French company also instituted a soft launch of a special app store for the Android platform. The AppsLib is intended to handle programs for “high-end” Android devices such as the new Internet Tablet. What the folks at ARCHOS didn’t explain is why a second app store for Android is needed, and why they think developers should submit their apps to it instead of the Google Android Market.
And concerns were raised that some of the most popular Android handsets may not be getting further OS updates. Some Android engineers tweeted that the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) system memory used for the OS is completely filled with the current version 1.5. Further updates are unlikely, they claimed, as new versions always get bigger due to added features. Note that no official statement has been made verifying this claim; if true, however, G1 owners would be forced to update their handsets if they want newer versions of the OS to be supported.
Please don;t forget, that there is a great number of users without Google Marketplace or other Android apps. I got HTC Magic and in Thailand local operator DISABLED all these apps (Google Maps, GMail, Market)
Unlike iPhone where everyone gets pretty much same device, android could be a different world with many distributions spread around the globe. Suddenly you end up with a platform where you don’t know what user’s phone will support.
One would believe that lessons have been learned from the G1 – primarily in this case would be the inclusion of more system memory to enable expansion of the operating system with future updates.
I would be very surprised to see any handset maker pass up an opportunity to force you to buy a new handet in order to upgrade the OS.