I get where the ACLU is coming from, but I don't know if I agree that the customers didn't know what they were getting into and now have no recourse: ACLU Seeks Carrier Smackdown Over Android Updates
Maybe back in 2009 or 2010, they could have made a good case. Back then, consumers didn't know that most Android devices wouldn't get timely updates. By now (it's 2013), it's well established that your Android phone will probably not get a timely update unless it is either a Nexus phone or rooted.
Consumers, who now know that non-Nexus, non-rooted Android phones will either A) never get updated or B) get updates extremely late (months or years later) really have no excuse. If they want security updates, they should get a Nexus phone, learn how to root their Android phones, or buy another non-Android phone (e.g., iPhone or Windows phone).
The good news is the now-Google-owned Motorola will soon begin releases vanilla Android devices. Once HTC, Samsung, and LG see Motorola and Nexus phones flying off the shelves, they'll have to either start releasing updates in a more timely fashion... or just install vanilla Android with a different default theme. Vanilla Android is the way to go, people. Vote with your wallets!
Motorola sold the Photon after ICS was released, with the promise it would be upgraded. The promise was right there in the Sprint Store. Not only did they renege and leave it at Gingerbread, they locked the phone down in an update (the only update they ever pushed) so that it couldn’t be rooted.
And all this was after Google bought them. I’ve gone from being a loyal Android user to being up for grabs next time my contracts up. Good job Googorola.
i’ll go for a root. don’t see the problem on that. Really.
That users that do not care about the rooting, in the same fashion do not care about the security issues neither, so everybody happy under the “comfort” vail.
…and nowadays it’s really easy to root a phone, even from linux. so… really… don’t see the problem :)