Sprint: Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile Updates Coming
Sprint executive David Owens sat down for a virtual chat on Sprint's Web site with consumers today, and updated folks with some good news about his carrier's plans. — Google Android OS updates are coming for the HTC Hero and Samsung Moment.
Context & Ripple Effects
Sprint had already opened its network to Android developers in September, making handset software support a practical complement to its developer outreach. Earlier coverage of Orange's broad Android handset plans also underscored that Android competition was spreading across carriers and device makers.
First-order effects
- HTC Hero and Samsung Moment owners on Sprint have an announced path to Android software updates, while Sprint takes responsibility for communicating and delivering them.
- HTC and Samsung's Sprint models become part of a carrier-managed software-support cycle rather than being defined solely by their launch hardware.
Second-order effects
- Sprint's developer-access initiative becomes more useful if its Android handsets stay aligned with the software platform developers target.
- BlackBerry's published OS 5.0 eligibility list makes update commitments a more visible comparison point for Sprint's smartphone lineup.
Third-order effects
- If carriers combine developer programs with regular handset updates, software-support cadence becomes a competitive feature alongside handset selection and network access.
The trend: Smartphone carriers are becoming active managers of platform updates, using software support to reinforce their developer ecosystems and device portfolios.