Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice cream Sandwich: what might hold back update

May 28, 2012 | Filed under: Business | Posted by:

Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice cream Sandwich issues are holding back the update in many places. Abdul Vahid V probes as to what might hold back firmware update

Samsung Galaxy S 2 owners across the world are passionately looking for the new Android update. Samsung earlier announced that Galaxy S2 would get the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich by April or early May 2012. But, as of now, many users in several countries haven’t yet received the firmware update. In spite of a horde of reports saying that users in some European and other countries have already obtained the update, Samsung hasn’t yet officially launched the ICS update for the S 2. What might possibly be preventing Samsung from releasing Android 4 for its flagship Android phone? Here we take a look into the potential reasons for the delay in hitting Android 4.0 on Galaxy S 2, the second gen Galaxy S phone.

Google’s restrictions
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson recently opened up that Google was the main culprit for the delay of the Android 4.0 update in some major Android handsets. In an interview, Mr. Randall blamed on Google for prioritizing handsets to get the Ice Cream Sandwich. Even the delay in the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S 3 is due to this restriction. “Google determines what platform gets the newest releases and when,” the AT&T head says. “A lot of times, that’s a negotiated arrangement and that’s something we work at hard. We know that’s important to our customers. That’s kind of an ambiguous answer because I can’t give you a direct answer in this setting.”

Indeed, it is a shocking thing that Google has started to deliberately delay the release of Android update these days. Earlier, the process was simple. Google used to publish the source code of a new version of Android, product makers can then run their handsets with the firmware and carriers will just have to certify the products with the OS. But under the new situation, things have entirely changed and it is difficult to get the update from Google, Stephenson says.

Wait for Galaxy 3’s launch
Some reports deduce that Samsung has intentionally delayed the release of Galaxy S 2 firmware update to find more customers for its newly announced Galaxy S 3. Samsung uncovered the new Galaxy S upgrade on May 3 in a London media event. Though expected to ship by late May, Samsung has not so far launched the device. The new Galaxy S 3 is the first member to the Galaxy S line with the ICS. Even though, reports from various countries indicate that the new version of S 2 has hit their stores.

Wait for iPhone 5
Is Samsung waiting for iPhone 5 to launch ICS version of Galaxy S 2? There is less chance for such an assessment. Apple’s new generation iPhone 5 will certainly be a threat for Samsung’s Galaxy S series. The new version of iPhone is expected to come with lots of incredible new features. Rumored to come out in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference next month, iPhone 5 may tout many enhanced features and a fresh design. These aspects will raise critical threat against the new Galaxy S 3 and its predecessor. Anyway, there is very less chance that Samsung would delay firmware update of its devices to launch them close to iPhone 5’s release.

Technical issues
A few sources even doubt that some technical issues prevent Samsung from launching the firmware update for Galaxy 2. As per many analysts, it is also a pointless claim, because many people have so far received or run the ICS on their second gen Galaxy S 2 with no issues. So it seems pointless to argue that Samsung would have delayed the firmware update due to some tech problems of the gadget.

Conclusion
It looks like we are set to get the ICS update on our Galaxy S2s sooner than later. Many reports claim that customers in several parts of the world have received either the ICS update or new version of S 2 with the firmware. Some reports even referred to Samsung sources to ‘confirm’ the Android 4.0 ICS update. But still now, there is no official statement or wide availability of the firmware.

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Posted by on May 28, 2012. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
  • Rrok

    i m receiving at this time the update of ICS 4.0.3 to later version build.SGS2
    ITA XWLP7

  • Ray

    Android is open source. Google still piblishes the platform for all to adapt to the various handsets that are out there. If not then how do we have unofficial ICS builds for the S2 already. Samsung is waiting for their new flagship device to be released. It builds tension so the desperate run into the stores to pre-order the S3.

  • Ray

    P.S. The carriers also have a say in when rhe update is released. They do have to pre-load them with their bloatware and set of restrictions as well. Lets not forget to mention carrier IQ.

  • http://MoeNge lannsann

    i like this

  • http://ramtnv.webs.com Ram

    I lov samsung galaxy s2. am frm india. i hav changed my main mobile to HTC Desire C ,cut this is very slow…. plz give me ics update to sgs2…

  • lie

    If Google is the one that’s delaying it, how is it that ICS is out for unbranded Galaxy SII devices ??? The only way those phones could have gotten the update is if ICS has already been released by Google and Samsung for those devices. My guess is that ATT is doing this to help iPhone sales, and the sale of new devices. Sure, why bother releasing OS updates, when they have newer phones with ICS ready for the consumer to buy. How is Apple able to release OS updates to their devices without going through the carriers themselves ??!! This whole thing is severely underhanded. But I will never give up my android for an iPhone.

  • brin

    i have 4.0 it is brill

  • Michael

    This article is quoting Randall Stephenson’s nonsense as fact. Google isn’t delaying any device releases, as you say in this article.

    Also, “Google used to publish the source code, [but] things have entirely changed and it is difficult to get the update from Google.”

    Really? The source code for ICS has been publicly available for more than 6 months. To say Google is to blame for this situation (and quote the incompetent AT&T CEO in the process) is just poor journalism.

  • PTC

    For those who have successfully updated their Galaxy S2 with the Android 4 Ice Cream Sanwich, could you kindly let the rest of S2 owners know :-

    1) How do you update this ICS to your phone , via Samsung Kies, or Software Update ?

    2) What model is your phone -GT-I19100 or GT-19100G , or …… ?

  • Maz

    I have ICS, phone was bought from eBay and is therefore not locked to any specific network however a friend of mine who’s with vodafone has also managed to update (via kies). I was wondering if anyone’s had any issues with ics? my phone at the moment is crashing alot of times when I ask it to turn on wifi, if it can’t find it in 5 seconds it gives up and crashes :| although that seems to be the only issue so far… hopefully, alot of people I know that have ics have said it is very buggy however and I would say the changes are minimal, it’s mostly just sleeker, so i’d recommend sticking with gingerbread for now.

  • http://techandwe.blogspot.com Aniruddh

    I think Samsung is waiting for the launch of S3. The other reasons are very difficult to accept as that are baseless. Galaxy S2 almost performs similar to S3. Hence upgradation S2 to ICS might impact on the sales of S3.

  • Jeffery Chew

    I upgraded GT-19100G to Ice cream 4.03 and had issue with the battery and the phone heated up…had to bring in to Samsung to downgrade back. Has anyone faces simlar issue?

  • Aidan Morley

    I have ics from kies wish i hadent upgraded apps crashing loosing signal
    then phone says it has no sim card have to restart to get it working again