It doesn’t matter where you stand on the Android vs iOS debate, it’s undeniable that Android’s fragmentation and the fact that carriers and manufacturers determine if and when you receive updates brings the operating system down. This is something that Microsoft wants to avoid with Windows 10, which is why the company will be bypassing carriers in order to give all mobile Windows users new updates at the same time.
One of the biggest arguments against Android is the issue of fragmentation. And while the debate rages as to whether fragmentation is that big of a deal, it’s apparently an issue that Microsoft wants to sidestep entirely with Windows 10. In a post published earlier this month to Microsoft’s Blogging Windows blog, Microsoft stated that its “continuous update process [will apply] to all Windows 10 devices, including phones.” On Friday, ZDNet’s Ed Bott confirmed with Microsoft that this means what we all hoped it means—that all Windows 10 mobile devices will get the same updates at the same time. ZDNet notes that carriers will still be able to test Windows 10 updates, but that updates will roll out all at once for everyone on every carrier. Microsoft’s Windows 10 update policy is a break from the Android world—where carriers and manufacturers have a major say as to which devices will get updates and when—and is more in-line with how Apple handles iOS updates. It also means that Windows 10 phones will be more likely to receive important security updates as they become available.
