[Xperia Arc General] Xajel:
You guys all knows that Google and Sony Ericsson ( along with some other manufacturers ) agrees to provide Android updates for at least 18 months after the device being launched as long as the device hardware can handle the new version...

This is a very good step.. but I think it's not enough...

1- A lot of time the manufacturer needs several months to do a new Android version update, for example the ICS needs 3 - 5 months for SE to have it across it's mobiles, others like LG needs more ( 4 - 6 months )... in this time Google may release another updates to Android...

2- All Manufacturer can't do updates for long time, coz doing so cost money, and customers always ask to make the mobile cheaper... doing both is not possible.. if a manufacturer want to make longer updates. it should have money to cover all the expenses.. and if the phone was sold cheap with small margin of profit, it might not justifies the longer updates...

3- Sometimes new and major Android versions might come with more requirement regarding the hardware.. yes it might runs well on that device, but because the manufacturer uses it's own skin and junk apps ( what ever ) the phone might not have enough memory for this.. most manufacturers wont agree to update the phone without their skin... so they will refuse to do the update if they can't make the phone runs without their brand customization... like for example Samsung and their Galaxy S... and HTC ( even thought they trim their rom and decided to release the update )...

The device is just not designed with extra RAM, ROM to handle future updates...

I think we might have some solutions to these problems

1- Companies should give more to the developers/custom ROM community, even with signing some agreements with them.. for example SE have their Exmor sensors but CM can't use it's all power... so SE gave them so they can embed them in CM ROM's for phones like arc and Neo.. custom ROM's like CM doesn't have a skin, it uses Android native launcher so they don't require that much of resources... so incase the manufacturer can't update to the newer android because of this reason, they should cooperate with the open developer communities to do so.. this will not require money for development as the manufacturer will only need to give parts of the source codes the and developer community will do the rest...

2- Manufacturer can get rid of some junk apps after a while... removing some junk apps can free a lot of RAM and ROM.. and thus providing more space for newer Android releases, this is what HTC did with one of their phones after they discovered they can't upgrade it to 2.3 because their Sense launcher take too much RAM !!

3- Google should do more regarding the new major Android release, I know Google only cooperate with the manufacturer that makes the new Nexus phone, and other manufacturer will need to wait till the release of the final source code...

but I think Google should make other major manufacturer take a look at source code before the final get released, at least for the finished parts so they can work on the code before, and when the final source released all things will be easy and can work faster.. at least they can do the things that require certification which require the longest time for any new update is coming...