this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2023
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They will also make software that lasts shorter and gets less frequent updates, forcing you to upgrade hardware because latest versions of X-app no longer works on your OS due to incompatible APIs.
In the EU that isn't as much of an issue when it comes to Android because they mandate that the bootloader must be unlockable (compared to the US at least, cough SAMSUNG cough). So as long as the device is somewhat popular, you'll always have updates through custom firmware like LineageOS.
Doesn't help Apple, though they've been... surprisingly good with last generation updates lately? iOS 16 can be installed on an 8 year old(ish) phone.
How can the EU target only Android for this unlockable bootloader that you mention? Shouldn’t it apply to iOS as well?
It does apply to both, but there are no real OS alternatives for Apple hardware. Unlike android hardware where there are many custom roms available for most devices.
I'm curious how software can last shorter. Could you maybe give me an example ?
The only way i can think of is companies reducing software support.
It's possible that Apple may do this, but for android - it'd just result in a thriving community for Custom ROMs.
I think that what @agilob@lemmy.world is saying, is that now that companies will no longer have the option of planned obsolescence via a shitty battery, companies will pivot into sunsetting software technologies faster, so users can keep replacing their devices at the same pace they do today.
I felt like Google and Verizon really dropped the ball with the galaxy nexus. Then again with the Moto X. Community support was mixed for the moto and better on the nexus. Which eventually led me to drop android in favor of iOS. However, none of it has compared to the level of OS support I’ve received from my Apple products.
What I really wonder is what happens to water resistance capabilities for phones that are not sealed?
For example they are not provoding security upgrades. Now you can unlock your bootloader and install your own Android Rom built by yourself or fron someone else. However with Safetynet, many applications are not working if you jave unlocked your bootloader. So, you can run the latest version but without lockec bootloader, you cannot use for example some banks. They enforce you to have Google Play Services controlling your phone to have access to your money. So they can pretty easily just sop providing updates and then you sre enforced to buy a new one. The last years Samsung and Pixels are getting more than 5years of support however nowadays our devices are powerful enoughto be used for almost decade.
It's not just support. Companies like Google and Apple can do a lot to pressure third party developers to remove compatibility for older versions.
This includes:
limiting compatibility for new versions of the API. So if you want to be compatible with the latest Android/iOS version, you have to drop compatibility for older versions.
make the newest version of the toolchains incompatible with older versions of the OS.
In Google's case, they can mandate things like SafetyNet, which directly targets the custom ROM community.
Apple could do this but they’d be driving away their customer base, the hardware is fine but software is really the reason to get an iphone.