Whenever Google pushes out a new Android update, Nexus devices are always the front in line to receive said update. Android users that own devices manufactured by a plethora of other OEMs receive the update at a later date, whereas significant delays are involved if that device happens to be locked to a carrier. This often leads to customers venting about the inavailability of the update. HTC has published an infographic on its website which details exactly how an Android update is readied before it is ultimately pushed out to the end users.
Basically there are three kinds of Android devices, the unlocked or developer edition devices, carrier locked devices and Google Play Edition devices. GPE devices offer the “Nexus” experience, meaning that they are next in line after actual Nexus devices when an Android update is released. For carrier locked or unlocked devices a lot of complicated steps are involved which includes back and forth of code from Google to OEMs to carriers. A slight hiccup at any one step can result into a substantial delay, which can definitely aggravate anxious customers. The infographic is definitely a good read for all those who have wondered just how the entire Android update process works, since the relatively slow roll out of latest updates often tend to be one of the biggest issues that people have with Google’s mobile platform.