Samsung guilty of trying to pull the okie doke on potential Android buyers??

Source says Samsung won't release Vibrant OTA for fear it would hurt Vibrant 4G sales

AndroidSPIN is reporting that select manufacturers of Android-based phones may be withholding OS updates in order to boost sales of forthcoming devices.

According to the report, there is already a fully functioning 2.2 OTA available for the Samsung Vibrant that is ready to be pushed out by T-Mobile. But Samsung has told the carrier not to release the OTA for fear that it could hamper sales of the upcoming Vibrant 4G.

Furthermore, it is being claimed that the Vibrant 4G shares the exact same specs with the Vibrant (with the added exception of a front-facing camera), and the current Vibrant would be capable of the same 4G speeds if the 2.2 update was pushed out to it.

The following quote comes from the tipster who AndroidSPIN calls "a reliable source":

Some disturbing things have happened the last week or so concerning our “Vibrant”. Samsung has NOT allowed us to push the update OTA for 2.2 because they feel it will decrease the value of the upcoming Vibrant4G +. While from a marketing aspect i totally understand, as the Vibrant 4G is what the original Vibrant should have been in the 1st place. But to shun off and bold face lie to customers is NOT what T-Mobile is about.

…Being that, Vibrant 4G and Vibrant have exactly same stats, added FFC and a new movie and the 4G. But i will tell you this, the original vibrant CAN utilize 4G FULLY. Yes FULLY. not what they are telling you.

The source goes on to elaborate that the Vibrant is not HSPA+ compatible, but that the software improvement would give it a significant speed boost (more so than other Android devices would).

There is some speculation over at ITWorld that the delays aren’t solely Samsung’s fault. "After all, selling newer phones also ties customers into a new contract (and, depending on the age of their existing contract, may allow T-Mobile to sell the devices at a higher cost to users)," Ryan Faas writes.

The allegations also bring up the issue of Android fragmentation, perhaps the OS's biggest weakness. Other platforms, including the iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows Phone 7, all feature a much larger degree of uniformity when it comes to software updates. If Android doesn't follow suit, it could -- at the very least -- hurt its own prospects.

(Note: Samsung has not commented on AndroidSPIN's allegations.)


DailyTech - Smartphone Manufacturers Withholding Android Updates

Here's Samsungs response:hmm: :



Samsung responds to claims of holding back Vibrant's Froyo update

This post was updated at 5:27 p.m., PT with comment from T-Mobile.

There's a story circulating the Web today that's causing an uproar among Samsung Vibrant owners and putting Samsung in the hot seat.

According to AndroidSpin, they received a tip from a reliable source that claims that Samsung is preventing T-Mobile from releasing the Android 2.2 Froyo update to Vibrant users in order to push the next-gen Vibrant 4G.

The tipster, who appears to be from within the T-Mobile organization, writes:

Some disturbing things have happened the last week or so concerning our "Vibrant." Samsung has NOT allowed us to push the update OTA for 2.2 because they feel it will decrease the value of the upcoming Vibrant4G +. While from a marketing aspect I totally understand, as the Vibrant 4G is what the original Vibrant should have been in the 1st place. But to shun off and bold face lie to customers is NOT what T-Mobile is about.

The source goes on to say that the Samsung Vibrant 4G is largely similar to the current model, except it adds a front-facing camera, and new movie and 4G capabilities.

We reached out to Samsung for comment and a company spokesperson sent CNET the following response:

Samsung Mobile does not comment on rumors or speculation. With regard to the Froyo update, we recently issued the following statement: "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.

The noncommittal answer surely isn't satisfactory to Vibrant owners, but what I'm more concerned about here is Samsung's general delay in releasing a Froyo update to all of its Galaxy S smartphones here in the States.

When the Galaxy series of Android phones was unveiled in late June, Samsung said that the entire portfolio would be upgraded to Android 2.2. Though it never promised a delivery date, some of the models have been out for about seven months now with no sign of an update. Meanwhile, other handsets, including the Motorola Droid X and HTC Evo 4G, have received the Android 2.2 update.

It's all a little too reminiscent of the Samsung Behold II fiasco, where Samsung stopped pushing updates after Android OS 1.6. Though the company never officially said it, we suspected the TouchWiz interface was to blame, which is why we were concerned when we saw an even more customized TouchWiz UI on the Galaxy phones, but at the time, Samsung[..]ured us updates would not be a problem.

We appreciate the thoroughness in testing, but this doesn't help Samsung's cause. I really hope for its sake that all Galaxy owners get a helping of Froyo soon.

When asked for comment, T-Mobile referred us to Samsung's official statement shown above.

So its true then is what Samsung is saying. Who they bull!!ting? [pic]

lol the vibrant waiting for 2.2 while my HERO has 2.3 :dancingcool:

Vibrant 4G?? WTF dude... I just got the myTouch 4G and a new phone is coming out already?

*Runs into the wall at full speed, head first*

Can't keep up with technology, yo!

If this article is true then the mt4g > vibrant 4g

but a new best android phone comes out every other week...

Vibrant 4g my[..]. !! ain't nothing but a Vibrant with a 4g radio, front facing camera and most likely gps issues ootb. !! Samsung.

And hopefully, a camera flash. I was feeling the Vibrant but dropped it cuz of the no flash deal. Super AMOLED screen is nice.

LOL I remember that nicca venom did say don't !! with samsung lol. [pic]

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