These are not the droids you’re looking for.
A lot of my non-techie friends who know I write iPhone software for a living have asked me what I think of Verizon’s new iPhone-killer, the Droid.
Let’s assume for a minute that in all respects—hardware, usability, interface, reliability—the Droid is the iPhone’s equal or better. Let’s further assume that Verizon’s network is equal to or better than AT&T’s in coverage and quality. Let’s even assume that you’ll soon be able to find the same quality and quantity of third-party apps for the Droid on Android Marketplace that you’re currently able to find for the iPhone in Apple’s App Store.
And finally, let’s assume that even if all this is true, Apple won’t leapfrog the Droid in a big way with the next iteration of iPhone OS and mobile hardware.
If we set all that aside, the real question I have about the Droid is this: Will it run Android 3.0? 4.0? Assuming it will, will Verizon let you install it when the time comes? I haven’t been able to find any discussion of this in Verizon’s Droid literature, and I think that’s unfortunate because it’s the single most important question anyone considering purchasing the device should ask. Why? I’ve heard that people who jumped on the Android bandwagon early with the T-Mobile G1 can’t update their OS past 1.6. Meanwhile, iPhone users who purchased a first-generation device have been able to update—for free—to the latest iPhone OS with each minor and major release, adding substantial value to their device.
Verizon fairly points out the iPhone’s “iDon’ts,” in ads, but what about the stuff the iPhone is great at? One of the most powerful of iPhone’s “iDo’s” to date has been device backwards-compatibility with OS updates.
Will the Droid do that?
