T-Mobile just launched a new update tracker tool that’s designed to alleviate some of the confusion that arises around when a software update will come to Android handsets. The system allows users to pick from a list of Android smartphones sold by the Bellevue-based carrier and see roughly where a software update is in the approval process.
Getting an Android phone upgraded can be a pain. First, Google needs to release the update, then manufacturers need to set it up for a particular handset and then carriers need to approve the manufacturer’s update for use on their network. That can be an opaque process that leaves consumers scratching their heads about when their phones will be getting the latest and greatest software.
The update tracker is still in development, and doesn’t yet include all of the phones on T-Mobile’s network. That said, it offers an important window into the update process for people who own Android phones, and should help people understand why their Android phone hasn’t received the new Lollipop software update even though Google released it months ago.
