Editing Over-the-air update (section)

=== Smartphones ===
On [[smartphone]]s, tablets, and other devices, an over-the-air update is a firmware or [[operating system]] update that is downloaded by the device over the [[internet]]. Previously, users had to connect these devices to a computer over [[USB]] to perform an update. These updates may add features, patch [[Vulnerability (computing)|security vulnerabilities]], or fix [[software bug]]s. The two main mobile operating systems are [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]].

iOS gained support for over-the-air updates in [[iOS 5]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Savov |first=Vlad |date=June 6, 2011 |title=Apple's iOS 5: all the details |url=https://www.engadget.com/2011-06-06-apples-ios-5-all-the-details.html |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref> iOS updates are distributed exclusively by Apple, resulting in wide availability and relatively high adoption rates. Major iOS releases are usually installed on 60%–70% of iPhones within a few months of the update's release.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rossignol |first1=Joe |title=Apple Reveals How Many iPhones and iPads Are Running iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2023/02/16/ios-16-adoption-stats-from-apple/ |website=MacRumors |access-date=2 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Mearian2022">{{cite web |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=Apple: iOS 15 now installed on more than 60% of all iPhones |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3647877/apple-ios-15-now-installed-on-more-than-60-of-all-iphones.html |website=Computerworld |access-date=2 April 2023 |language=en |date=21 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="Evans2013">{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Jonny |date=31 May 2013 |title=Fragmented Android drives big dev to Apple |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2475581/fragmented-android-drives-big-dev-to-apple.html |access-date=2 April 2023 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref>

Android OTA updates are not distributed directly by Google, but by [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]]s (like Samsung) and [[Mobile network operator|wireless carriers]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2017-05-12 |title=Google's "Project Treble" solves one of Android's many update roadblocks |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/google-hopes-to-fix-android-updates-no-really-with-project-treble/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> This has led to inconsistent availability of updates, and to [[Android fragmentation]].<ref name="Mearian2022" /><ref name="Evans2013" /> In the past, fragmentation increased the complexity of developing third-party apps for Android (due to inconsistent availability of the latest [[software framework]]s on users' phones),<ref>{{cite web |title=What is Android fragmentation, and can Google fix it? |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/android-fragmentation-google-fix-it-713210/ |website=Android Authority |language=en |date=5 September 2016}}</ref> and led to security concerns due to delays in the distribution of security updates.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nguyen-Vu |first1=Long |last2=Ahn |first2=Jinung |last3=Jung |first3=Souhwan |title=Android Fragmentation in Malware Detection |journal=Computers & Security |date=1 November 2019 |volume=87 |pages=101573 |doi=10.1016/j.cose.2019.101573|doi-access=free }}</ref> Google has reduced Android fragmentation through the 2017 [[Project Treble]], which allows OEMs to release OS updates without needing to re-test hardware drivers for each version, <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2019-05-22 |title=Android at I/O 2019: The Project Mainline update system and other highlights |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/digging-into-android-q-beta-3-better-gesture-nav-a-new-update-system-and-more/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> and the 2019 Project Mainline, which allows Google to update Android components<ref name=":3" /> and deliver security patches<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |date=2020-10-10 |title=Everything you need to know about Android's Project Mainline |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/android-project-mainline-modules-explanation/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=XDA Developers |language=en}}</ref> through its [[Play Store]], without requiring a full OS update.<ref name=":3" /> Project Mainline significantly lowers the role of middlemen in delivering OTA updates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2020-09-23 |title=Android 11—The Ars Technica Review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/09/android-11-the-ars-technica-review/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Since [[Android Oreo|Android 8.0]], Android OTA updates follow an A/B [[Disk partitioning|partition]] scheme, in which an update is installed to a second ("B") partition in the background, and the phone switches to that partition the next time it is rebooted; this reduces the time taken to install updates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2017-08-07 |title=Android 8.0's "streaming OS updates" will work even if your phone is full |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/08/android-8-0s-streaming-os-updates-will-work-even-if-your-phone-is-full/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>