From: “Wired – New Phones Still Sold With Old Versions of Android”:http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/03/android-version-confusion/

bq. “I can’t figure out why the handset makers are doing this,” says Chris Fagan, an Android developer who owns an app development company called Froogloid. “I find it very peculiar that they release new phones on older firmware.”

I can tell you why, Chris. Because Verizon, ATT, and friends don’t care about your user experience. They only want to sell phones… Wait, not even that. They want to sell contracts.

I hate to be a raving Apple fanatic, but Apple is one of very few large companies that really, genuinely gives a crap about how well your experience goes when using their product. Google also cares, but take notice here: which phone shipping today has the most recent version of Android? The one that is marketed by Google.

Google wants you to have a positive experience with your phone because they want to build a long term relationship. Keep in mind that Google comes from a world where customers can walk out the door at any moment. Verizon/ATT/etc tie you in to contracts that keep you locked in. You can’t leave, even if you’re unhappy.

The logical conclusion? Competition is good for business. As much as I love my iPhone, I really hope Apple’s lawsuit against HTC fails miserably so that Android can continue to flourish and help drive the market forward.

Now if only there were a great disruptor to Verizon and AT&T’s business…