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Android phone that doesn't need Windows to upgrade OS?

A

agostonbejo

Lurker
Hi!

Both my wife and I have Sony Xperias. Now she is about to buy a new phone and I've been wondering: is there another brand where you don't need Windows to upgrade? (I'm talking about this PC companion thing that my Sony Xperia expects me to install on a Windows computer if I want to upgrade the system, which I don't have and don't intend to get, especially just for this.)

Is this specific to Sony devices, or can e.g. Samsungs perform system upgrades/updated without a Windows? (Or better yet, without having to connect them to any other computer?)


Thanks!
 
I think a lot of phones now upgrade OTA (Over the Air) these days. Certainly, Nexus devices do and my last HTC did .. I think Samsungs used to require Kies, but I don't know if that's still true.

Sometimes releases will initilally require a WiFi connection (again, no PC needed) to download the update, but that's usually only for the first few days it's available.
 
Hello and welcome agostonbejo - welcome to the forums... thanks for joining!! :)

As SiempreTuna has said, most phones now, I believe, update OTA... my last HTC did too. I know that my wife's old Samsung Galaxy S didn't, but that was a 2 year old phone - her new Galaxy S 4 does :)
 
D-U-R-X said:
Hello and welcome agostonbejo - welcome to the forums... thanks for joining!! :)

As SiempreTuna has said, most phones now, I believe, update OTA... my last HTC did too. I know that my wife's old Samsung Galaxy S didn't, but that was a 2 year old phone - her new Galaxy S 4 does :)
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As does the Galaxy S2/S3 and Note/Note 2
 
Every Android phone I've ever bought has had over-the-air upgrades. I haven't owned a Windows computer since before the G1.
 
The over the air update is based on several factors. Mostly these happen if your carrier supports over the air updates. However if you buy full price phones which are not tied to any carrier, only small bug fix updates come as OTA. Big updates go through PC software.
 
My Xperia U upgraded Over The Air. At least until I unlocked the bootloader and started putting other ROMS on it. Same with my HTC Wildfire S
 
aysiu said:
Every Android phone I've ever bought has had over-the-air upgrades.
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Same here. I've heard of desktop apps being used to update some phone models, but I never knew it was required. I'm certainly willing to connect to a PC for rooting and installing custom ROMs, but if a phone I bought required a connection to a Windows PC (or any other desktop) to support manufacturer-intended functionality, I think I would return it.

Sony's handling of a warranty issue got them banned from my house about 10 years ago, but something like this would also be enough to do it.
 
UncleMike said:
Same here. I've heard of desktop apps being used to update some phone models, but I never knew it was required. I'm certainly willing to connect to a PC for rooting and installing custom ROMs, but if a phone I bought required a connection to a Windows PC (or any other desktop) to support manufacturer-intended functionality, I think I would return it.

Sony's handling of a warranty issue got them banned from my house about 10 years ago, but something like this would also be enough to do it.
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I never experienced it being required, but I know of it being recommended. For example, on some devices it allows UDP.
 
chanchan05 said:
However if you buy full price phones which are not tied to any carrier, only small bug fix updates come as OTA. Big updates go through PC software.
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Can anyone with a Nexus One or Nexus 4 confirm what chanchan05 is saying here?

I have a Galaxy Nexus, but it's a Verizon, so it's tied to a carrier.

I haven't read anything about Nexus 4 owners who bought through the Google Play store then having to manually install updates via PC software, but I could be wrong.
 
I'm pretty sure the Galaxy S Captivate required Kies to update.

I bought the Nexus 4 and it updated to 4.3 OTA. I don't think they even offer a program to update it via PC.
 
aysiu said:
Can anyone with a Nexus One or Nexus 4 confirm what chanchan05 is saying here?

I have a Galaxy Nexus, but it's a Verizon, so it's tied to a carrier.

I haven't read anything about Nexus 4 owners who bought through the Google Play store then having to manually install updates via PC software, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant manufacturer skinned phones. So Nexus phones don't count. At least that's my experience in my country. I'm in Asia.
 
aysiu said:
Can anyone with a Nexus One or Nexus 4 confirm what chanchan05 is saying here?

I have a Galaxy Nexus, but it's a Verizon, so it's tied to a carrier.

I haven't read anything about Nexus 4 owners who bought through the Google Play store then having to manually install updates via PC software, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

My s3 is an international unlocked unbranded version so its not tied to any carrier and (before i rooted it etc..) it did get all the major updates directly from samsung, over the air. Maybe it depends where you live, idk :thumbup:
 
I remember my Sony Ericsson needed a computer to get the ICS update but that was a couple years ago. Im sure Sony have it sorted now
 
I am not sure if the OP meant OTA, KIES, or rooting and flashing a ROM with an upgraded version of Android.

It always irks me that i cannot use my Linux box to do much aside ADB hacking. if i wanted to use a root proggie like Casual, or OneClickRoot, or i have one of those oddballs that needs a specific program, i have to use Windows. i have a Windows partition on one of my laptops specifically setup for development work. i have tried using some of those in Linux but was unsuccessful. if the device even showed up, it was 'disabled' in adb shell and couldn't be accessed. if it needed a Windows program, that program didn't have direct hardware access in Linux via WINE, and Linux alternatives around the problem appeared either half-put together, or didn't exist. i can see where this would become an issue. i myself wish i could simply root with the device instead of whipping out a clunky laptop, Linux or Windows.

a good example was rooting my Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. to unlock the bootloader and flash the root stuff, it required ODIN. ODIN only works in Windows, as does KIES.
 
nickdalzell said:
i can see where this would become an issue. i myself wish i could simply root with the device instead of whipping out a clunky laptop, Linux or Windows.

a good example was rooting my Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. to unlock the bootloader and flash the root stuff, it required ODIN. ODIN only works in Windows, as does KIES.
Click to expand...
Seems Heimdall works for that:
Rooting a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (GT-P5110) on MacOS - Android - Sebastiaan de Jonge's Blog

The tutorial uses Mac as an example, but Heimdall has a Linux version, too.
 
funkylogik said:
Nick youre posting a lot of sense lately mate :)
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well, once i downgraded Play not only can i stand to use Android again, i am able to help, as well. Also been sudddenly interested in playing with the Chinese tablets again. now that little Netbook has totally grabbed my interest. all it needs is to be rooted, then get Play working, then it's bricking custom ROM time.
 
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