There are many smartphone users who prefer an Android over a Windows or iOS platform. The reasons could be the price tag, but the reasons for the others are control.
Yes, there are many enthusiasts out there who root their Android smartphones in order to gain control of every aspect of the hardware. Tweaking the operating system enables them to tap features that are not usually seen by regular Android handsets. Basic examples such as application and data backup, enabling call recording, changing icons and themes, backing up the entire operating system and replacing it with another OS, and many more can be done after rooting it.
However, Google’s next operating system, Android Lollipop, will make a different history.
Google’s Android OTA update (up till KitKat) usually runs through the operating system files and checks if any are altered or missing. Only then it would go ahead to install the new update. Even though the rest of the system folder would contain files that are not from Android, (for example, the superuser mod or app), the OTA update would not bother, and simply go ahead to update it.
But now, Google’s next OTA for Lollipop will be different. According to a finding by Android Police, The update will check for a rooted (modified) operating system and deny the update. This would force the user to revert back to the older non-rooted operating system in order to obtain the new update, and then root back again.
The process of rooting and unrooting would be tedious and could put off some users from the original Android (stock) firmware. For Now, Google has announced that the above mentioned process will be started with the Nexus devices, but could soon be rolled out by other smartphone brands.
Android enthusiasts, hope you have a trick up your sleeve and defy the Lollipop update massacre.
