This Is The Primary Reason Android Holds Little Interest For Me

Android is a highly capable operating system, but it has a number of flaws - not in its coding but in its execution. First of all, every manufacturer of an Android device adds their own "special sauce" to the UI, but more importantly, the upgrade story is quite possibly the worst in the mobile phone space.

The Motorola Atrix 4G, which was released in early 2011, will not get an upgrade to Android's latest offerings, either Ice Cream Sandwich or Jellybean. Instead, this phone, which is less than 18 months old, and is not a freebie entry level device, will stay on Gingerbread, a platform launched in December of 2010.

Keep in mind too Motorola is now owned by Google, so you'd think if any manufacturer was going to keep their phones on the latest and greatest, it would be Moto.

Sadly, almost 56% of Android users are on this nearly 2 year old platform.

To make matters worse, Motorola joined the Upgrade Alliance in early 2011, which is a commitment to upgrade devices for at least 18 months following their release. If you purchased a device such as the Atrix thinking you'd get at least one upgrade out of the device, well, now you know the Upgrade Alliance is little more than a marketing tool.

Windows Phone is little better. In fact it may be worse as Microsoft knowingly released Windows Phone 7.x with plans to never allow upgrades to Windows Phone 8.

Say what you will about Apple, but they take care of their users in the upgrade department. iOS 6 was released in late September, just two days before the iPhone 5 came out. Not only were owners of the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 able to upgrade, but owners of the iPhone 3GS, released on June 19 of 2009 - yes, 2009! - can upgrade as well, and everyone can upgrade on the same day, regardless of the carrier.

Meanwhile, Android users with phones made in 2011 and Windows Phone users that buy a phone today are being left out in the cold.

That is a shame too. I think Android and Windows Phone both have some big advantages over iOS, but I am not willing to buy my phone as if it were a toaster. It isn't. It is a computer and I expect to be kept current on technology without having to buy a new device just to get it.