The Evolution of Android Update Support
It took Android device makers a very long time to commit to long-term update support. Recently, Samsung and Google have started offering seven years of updates for their flagship devices, but a decade ago, you'd be lucky to get more than one or two updates even on the most expensive Android phones and tablets.
So, how is it that an Android-powered set-top box from 2015 is still going strong? I find it fascinating that Nvidia has managed this feat with the Shield TV.
Nvidia's Commitment to the Shield
Nvidia released the first Shield Android TV in 2015, and according to the company's senior VP of hardware engineering, Andrew Bell, supporting these devices has been a labor of love. The team at Nvidia still loves the Shield, and Bell assures us that they've never given up, even when it seemed like support was waning, and they don't plan to stop anytime soon.
The Soul of the Shield
Gaming has been central to Nvidia since its start, and that focus gave rise to the Shield. Pretty much everybody who worked at Nvidia in the early days really wanted to make a game console, said Bell, who has been with the company for 25 years.
As someone who's followed Nvidia's journey, I see how this passion has driven the Shield's longevity.
