Oppo has been putting a customized version of Android on its phones for years, but now it’s letting you strip most of those customizations away. It released a nearly stock version of Android today that’s basically just Android Lollipop with a few pieces of Oppo software, including its camera app, audio tools, and gesture support. The new release, which it’s calling Project Spectrum, is able to be installed on its Find 7 and Find 7a phones and will be coming to other Oppo phones in the near future. Sometime early next year, Oppo plans to release an updated version for Android Marshmallow.
More and more manufacturers seem to be getting the message: users want stock Android, because stock Android is better than whatever crap OEMs can come up with. A good development, obviously, but it still doesn’t address Android’d biggest weakness: updates.
Updates are only a problem if you are stupid enough to buy an expensive flagship model. Just buy a cheap Android phone for $50-100 and replace it every year or so.
Sounds like you are advocating creating more e-waste.
Devices might not be that expensive when you buy them, but they e-waste is a real problem. Recycling is the solution, but not in the way it’s done of the time in Africa.
Here is a Dutch documentary, about organisations trying to do something about that.
There are a whole lot of pieces in English:
http://www.npo.nl/vpro-tegenlicht/29-03-2015/VPWON_1232879
Sorry, I didn’t find a translated version yet.
Edited 2015-11-19 08:20 UTC
Phones are a trivial source of e-waste. The real problem is old technology such as CRT monitors and NiCad batteries.
That problem is never going to be fixed. We linux critics have been telling you since forever that Linux not caring about proprietary drivers back compat is THE reason Android won’t have guaranteed upgrades. But you where too pre-occupied with “FOSS is love” to listen.
OEM skins are just a hurdle on the way of upgrades, not the major hurdle. Drivers are that.
It’s also the reason third-party ROMS will always be buggy.