@coffeeshop
To be fair to the manufacturers, just because an OS is backward compatible does not mean that there is zero testing to do on the hardware when a new version comes out. Google writes and releases a baseline version of Android, which they test on a few reference pieces of hardware. Unlike the Windows desktop model right now each phone mfg has to take the baseline OS and add their specific drivers, and on top of that they add their own applications (which users may or may not want). The point is when Google releases a patch or update a manufacturer still must merge Google's code base, with their own, then check for any unwanted side-affects. Generally, there should be few if any. But none-the-less, it would be irresponsible of a mfg not to at least dedicate some time and resources to making sure everything behaved as expected. It's this overhead, along with the effort of coordinating an over-the-air update, that the manufacturers and carriers are reluctant to incur. Even if the cost to them is minimal it is still cost vs. profit if a user is just forced into buying a new phone. And don't forget from a carrier perspective more times than not a new phone means a contract extension. Google gets more market penetration, the manufacturer sells more hardware, and the carrier gets to extend a contract. Everyone wins except for the consumer. Its a vicious model that we are not on the winning end of. I think it will take a lot to motivate change.
