Samsung Denies Charging Carriers for Android Updates, Teases Galaxy S Replacement
by: Mark Kurlyandchik
Responds to allegations with another "promise" that it "hopes to have more details soon"
Samsung needs to figure out its Froyo update schedule for the Galaxy S -- fast.
We reported last week that Samsung was withholding the next Android OS update (2.2) for T-Mobile's Galaxy S variant, the Vibrant, in order to boost sales of the upcoming Vibrant 4G.
There have been a number of developments in this story since then, including a #NeverAgain Twitter hashtag aimed at Samsung that still continues to be popular as of this writing; and a class-action lawsuit filed against the handset manufacturer and T-Mobile, claiming deceptive trade practices.
An excerpt from an XDADevelopers post by the gentleman filing the lawsuit:
they have continuously lied to us about the hardware,
and software reliability of this phone,
they promised us updates (to 2.2! Not the functionally dead JI6 2.1!)
over and over,
NOW they plan to release NEW galaxies
without updating the old ones they currently have
Samsung had this to say, in a response to CNET:
Samsung feels it is important to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available only after we feel that we can give the millions of U.S. Galaxy S owners a simple and reliable upgrade experience. Due to the complexity and unique functionality of each Galaxy S device, we are performing additional testing and are working to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available to all U.S. Galaxy S owners, including the Samsung Vibrant, as soon as possible.
Then, to add fuel to the fire, another post on XDADevelopers -- this time by a user named The.Samsung.Secret -- claimed the delay was caused because Samsung wanted to charge carriers for Android updates on the grounds that they added features to devices. Yesterday, Lifehacker and others picked up the post and spread it as fact.
Finally, last night PhoneScoop received an e-mail from Samsung Mobile disputing this claim. "No," read the e-mail, "Samsung is not charging carriers for Froyo updates to Galaxy S. We hope to have more detail on status shortly. Promise!"
At this point, Samsung -- at the very least -- has a public relations fiasco on its hands. Its lack of transparency with regard to software updates -- in addition to it breaking previous promises numerous times (we're talking all the way back to the Behold II) -- has damaged the company's credibility. This may have little affect on the average consumer, but developers, the media, and critical early-adopters have certainly taken notice. Whatever its reasons for delaying, Samsung is going to have to work extra hard to regain the trust of these three key communities if it plans to make its next venture anywhere near as successful as the Galaxy S line.
Perhaps that's why Samsung has already begun to tease its Galaxy S replacement (which, in itself, is sure to make a number of Galaxy users all the more upset). The Samsung Unpacked website bears the words, "Feb 13th, Something big is coming. Join us to discover the next evolution in Samsung Mobile." The date and location (Barcelona) reference the 2011 Mobile World Conference. The "next evolution," however, refers to a new device that will replace the Galaxy S -- not an update to the latest Android OS, as many would like. The graphic on the site shows the Galaxy S on the left, with a phone-shaped box on the right bearing the words, "EVOLUTION is FATE." That sounds to us like, "Your Galaxy S will soon be obsolete, anyway."
Samsung Denies Charging Carriers for Android Updates
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